Comparison of the Histrionic Personality Style and Disorder


Personality Style

Personality Disorder

Enjoy compliments and praise
Constantly seek or demand reassurance, approval, or praise
Charming, engaging, and appropriately seductive in appearance and behavior
Inappropriately sexually seductive in appearance and behavior
Attentive to their appearance and grooming, enjoying clothes, style, and fashion
Overly concerned with physical attractiveness
Lively and fun-loving, often impulsive, but can delay gratification
Express emotion with inappropriate exaggeration; self-centered and little tolerance for gratification
Enjoy being the center of attention, and can rise to the occasion when all eyes are on them
Uncomfortable in situations where they cannot be the center of attention
Sensation oriented, emotionally demonstrative, and physically affectionate. React emotionally, but appropriately
Display rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotion
Utilize a style of speech that is appropriately global and specific
Utilize a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail

Source: Handbook of Diagnosis and Treatment of DSM-IV Personality Disorders, by Len Sperry, M.D., Ph.D.