Final answer:
Factitious disorders are characterized by patients who fabricate symptoms without obvious external incentives, aiming to occupy the role of a sick person for psychological reasons. Measuring and understanding these symptoms require careful consideration of both subjective experiences and social factors influencing the perception of illness.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factitious disorders involve a situation where a patient voluntarily makes up symptoms with no external incentives such as financial gain, known as 'primary gain.' Unlike malingering, where the motivation is external, factitious disorders represent a psychological need to assume a sick role and to receive attention and sympathy. Symptoms are subjective experiences of the patient and are vital in diagnosing diseases, though they can be influenced by the patient's perceptions and are difficult to measure precisely.
Social factors and the social construction of illness experiences play a role in how symptoms and diseases are perceived both by the patient and medical professionals. This can lead to contested illnesses where there is disagreement about the legitimacy of the symptoms. Measurement tools like the Wong-Baker Faces pain-rating scale or skin conductance are sometimes used to quantify these symptoms, albeit they have their limitations due to the subjectivity involved.Medical professionals have to navigate these complexities, and understanding the patient's perspective through methods like the explanatory model is essential. This approach, where health care providers inquire more deeply about the patient's beliefs and narrative regarding their symptoms, can lead to more effective and appropriate treatment strategies.