Pathological lying in adults : psychologists’ perspectives

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the perspectives of psychologists on pathological lying. Four psychologists were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The chosen method of data analysis was reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: A grey area, pathological lying as a symptom, the effects of pathological lying, and the nuances of therapeutic intervention. The results show that pathological lying is a symptom of a larger issue, which has implications both for others and the individual, and for therapeutic intervention and outcome. It was also found that pathological lying, especially in the Maltese context, is a grey area.