Adjustment Disorders

Trauma- and stressor-related disorders, a diagnostic category introduced in 2013 with the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), include disorders in which exposure to stressful or traumatic events is a requirement for making the diagnosis. These include reactive attachment disorder, disinhibited social engagement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, and adjustment disorders (ADs). They were grouped together on the basis of etiology rather than phenomenology.

Understanding ADs is important because they are often confused with major depressive disorder (MDD) or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and therefore treated with antidepressants. Moreover, they are neglected in research despite being common conditions. This entry further describes ADs and discusses their history; the criteria for their diagnosis; and the symptoms, behaviors, ...