Adjustment disorder is an excessive or abnormal behavioral or emotional reaction to a stressor or a series of stressors. The reaction is often more severe than what is typically expected for a stressor. Stressors can affect an individual person like a loss of a job or an entire family or large group such as a natural disaster. Examples of stressors most commonly seen are moving, marriage, crime, illness, divorce, and losing a job.
Adjustment disorders are common and it has been estimated that 32% of adolescents have had an adjustment disorder. There is no difference in the rate between males and females.
Why Is an Adjustment Disorder a Concern?
Adjustment disorders are associated with an increased risk of suicide attempts and completed suicides. Adolescents with adjustment disorder are more likely to engage in self-harming behavior or substance abuse.
