Synonyms
Definition
Histrionic personality disorder is a psychiatric condition listed in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association 2013). Individuals with this disorder are characterized by frequent engagement in dramatic, seductive, or attention-seeking behavior, exaggerated emotional displays that carry a theatrical quality, an impressionistic or reactionary approach to understanding their environment, and heightened suggestibility and openness to influence by others.
Introduction
Compared to other contemporary character disorders, histrionic personality disorder is notable for its extensive history of being studied in both ancient and modern cultures. Authors have postulated about the physiological and psychosocial origins of histrionic symptoms over the course of four millennia – from ancient Egypt, to the Salem witch trials, to modern-day academic medical...
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References
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Lewis, K.C., Mastico, E.R. (2017). Histrionic Personality Disorder. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_590-1
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