Histrionic personality disorder is reserved for people who are overly
dramatic and attention-seeking. A depiction of a character with histrionic
personality disorder is displayed in Mavis Gary in the Young Adult (2011) movie.
Thus, this study aims to identify the diagnostic criteria of histrionic personality
disorder in the main character Mavis Gary. This study also discover the causes of
histrionic personality disorder in the main character Mavis Gary.
This study was conducted by applying a psychological approach using a
theory of Personality Disorder by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and
analyzing the causes using Jeffrey J. Magnavita's theory, who is one of the members
of the American Psychiatric Association. This study used a qualitative method to
analyze since the data of this study are in the form of dialogues and narrations. The
primary data sources were the Young Adult (2011) movie script, and the secondary
data sources were from books and journals.
The result of this study concludes that Mavis Gray is diagnosed with
histrionic personality disorder by fulfilling seven out of eight diagnostic criteria,
that is, attention seeking, having interactions with others often characterized by
inappropriate sexual behavior, using physical appearance to draw attention, having
a speaking style that is too impressive and lacking in details, exhibiting self-
dramatization and theatrical, being suggestive, and considering the relationship to
be more intimate. Furthermore, the causes of Mavis Gary have histrionic
personality disorder are traumatic events when she experienced a miscarriage that
occurred in the past and also family dysfunction which also has an impact on her
personality disorder.
Keywords: histrionic personality disorder, traumatic events, family dysfunction, young adult (2011), psychoanalysis