The DSM‐5 mentions that deception is a symptom of antisocial personality disorder and is used for external incentive (malingering) and to assume a sick role (factitious disorder)
Our first prediction was about prevalence, frequency of behavior, and duration of the condition. We predicted that patients with PL would represent a smaller percentage of the population reporting excessive lying, would report PL as lasting for a longer time than would the general population, and would report onset of the condition as occurring during adolescence. Our second prediction was that patients with PL would report impaired functioning in several areas. Our third prediction was that patients with PL would report more distress from their lying than would the general population. Our fourth prediction was about fatality; we predicted that patients with PL would be more likely to report that their lies put themselves or others in danger. Our fifth prediction was that patients with PL would indicate that their lying was not entirely under their control and that it provided relief from anxiety. Our sixth prediction was that patients with PL would report telling lies for no specific reason and that their lies would tend to grow from an initial lie more so than those of people without PL
Of the 623 participants, 83 indicated that they or others considered themselves pathological liars (35 indicated only self, 27 indicated only others, 12 indicated both, and nine affirmed self or others). An analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between people in the PL and non‐PL conditions . Of the 589 participants who responded to the question that asked about having been formally diagnosed by a mental health professional with a psychological disorder, 49 indicated they were pathological liars. Thus, our prediction was confirmed that PL would occur within a relatively small percentage of the sample (8%–13%).
participants in the PL group were no more likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis than those in the non‐PL group.
to compare education across lying frequency, distress, functioning, and danger and found no statistical significance for the PL group or the non‐PL group.
A majority of participants in the PL group reported engaging in PL for 6 months or longer , with more than half indicating they had engaged in frequent lying for more than 5 years .
As predicted, participants in the PL group indicated telling more lies within a 24‐hour period than participants in the non‐PL group
a majority of participants in the PL group reported telling five or more lies within the past 24 hours. Furthermore, the PL group told more lies in person than over the phone or in writing
Participants in the PL group reported lying more to friends and social acquaintances than to other people
Those in the PL group reported a greater propensity for telling lies in their everyday lives than those in the non‐PL group
A frequency analysis revealed that a majority of participants in the PL group indicated onset of PL during adolescence
Univariate tests indicated statistical significance between the PL and non‐PL groups' impairment in functioning in occupation , social relationships , finances , and legal contexts . Within the PL group, a repeated measures MANOVA showed statistical significance in areas of functioning . Pairwise comparisons found the greatest impairment in social relationships