Adjustment Disorder is the development of emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor(s) out of proportion to the severity or intensity of the stressor. Symptoms may overlap with depression, anxiety, or related disorders. Symptoms typically developing within three months of stressor onset and lasting no more than six months post-stressor.
Stressors may be a single event (e.g., fired from job, diagnosis of medical condition), or multiple stressors (e.g., business difficulties coinciding with marital problems). Stressors may be recurrent (e.g., seasonal business crisis, recurrent hospitalizations for a medical illness), or continuous (e.g., persistent painful illness, unfulfilling romantic relationship).
Cognitive behavior therapy is used to treat adjustment disorder, with focus on the maladaptive thoughts and beliefs associated with the stressor, the practice of relaxation strategies to reduce distress, and the development and use of problem-solving skills.