A theoretical frame of reference for the psychoanalytical diagnosis for personality disorders is described, making it possible to place personality disorders on a spectrum between neurosis and psychosis. The application of this frame of reference to the descriptive categories of the dsm-iv Axis ii achieves a double goal. From a psychoanalytical point of view, the different external appearances of a similar intrapsychic functioning become clear. From a psychiatric point of view, the description of the psychodynamic functioning behind the different dsm-iv Axis ii categories adds depth to the descriptive approach.