Other · Treatment guide
Adjustment Disorder
Emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor, exceeding what would be expected.
In this guide
Overview
Time-limited and stressor-bound — most clients respond to brief, focused work. The diagnosis itself is often used when symptoms don't meet full criteria for depression or anxiety but functioning is impaired.
First-line treatments
- SFBT — Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Brief, strengths-based — well-matched to the time-limited nature of the disorder.
- CBT — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Skills-focused brief CBT around the specific stressor.
- IPT — Interpersonal Psychotherapy
When the stressor is a role transition or interpersonal disruption.