What is the name for hearing loss symptoms that are produced for personal benefits?

The term that describes hearing loss symptoms that are produced for personal benefits is "malingering." Malingering involves intentional false reporting of symptoms or exaggerated claims of impairment to gain some kind of advantage, such as financial compensation, avoidance of responsibilities, or even to elicit sympathy.

This behavior is characterized by a conscious decision to feign or exaggerate symptoms rather than presenting a true medical condition. Understanding malingering is essential for hearing aid dispensers and other audiology professionals, as it highlights the need for careful assessment to differentiate between genuine hearing loss and fabricated symptoms.

Other terms, while related to hearing issues, do not carry the same implication of intentional deceit for personal gain. For example, "functional" might refer to a non-organic hearing loss where the individual genuinely exhibits hearing difficulties without any identifiable physical cause but not necessarily for personal benefits. "Exaggerated" suggests that symptoms are overstated, but again, it does not imply intentional deception for personal gain. Similarly, "psychogenic" refers to auditory issues that stem from psychological factors rather than physical ones, but does not inherently indicate a motive for personal benefit. Hence, "malingering" is the most accurate term for this specific context.