Variability of mood and the diagnosis of hysterical personality disorder

Twenty patients with the diagnosis hysterical personality disorder were compared with a matched control group of patients with other personality and neurotic diagnoses. Subjects' moods were assessed with a visual analogue scale 4 times a day for 5 consecutive days. Patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of hysterical personality disorder showed greater variability of mood than controls. Since emotional lability is said to be a characteristic hysterical trait, the results are taken as empirical support for the validity of one of the clinical judgements inherent in the diagnostic process.