Adjustment Disorder:

Emotional and/or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor, within 3 months of onset of stressor – symptoms evidenced by:

• Marked distress in excess of what would be expected
• Social/occupational impairment

Stress-related disturbance does not meet criteria for another diagnosis and is not an exacerbation of pre-existing diagnosis; does not represent expected bereavement; once stressor has terminated, does not continue for more than an additional 6 months

Diagnostic criteria:

• Onset of symptoms must occur within 1 month of stressor (not unusual or catastrophic)
• Manifests behavior disturbances found in any affective disorder (except delusions and hallucinations), neurotic disorder, stress-related disorder, somatoform disorder, or conduct disorder BUT criteria for any individual disorder not met

Example symptom features:

• Brief depressive reaction, transient, mild, less than 1 month
• Mixed anxiety/depression
• Predominant conduct disorder
• Mixed disturbance of emotion and conduct
• Prolonged depressive reaction, mild depressive state occurring in response to prolonged exposure to stressful situation (not more than 2 years)