Adjustment Disorder In Children And Adolescents: What It Is, Symptoms And Types
When an adult goes through a major life change, they are expected to adapt and continue with their life after going through a period of adjustment. The same happens with children and adolescents who undergo important changes in their lives: They are expected to adapt appropriately.
However, just as some adults may have difficulty adapting to new circumstances, children and adolescents may also have difficulty getting used to new changes.
In this article We will talk about adjustment disorder in children and adolescents. First of all, we will see what adjustment disorder is, what its symptoms are and, finally, the subtypes.
What is childhood and adolescent adjustment disorder?
An adjustment disorder is an unhealthy emotional or behavioral reaction to a stressful event or change in a person’s life. The response occurs within three months after the stressful event.
Some events that can cause this problem in a child or adolescent are:
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) describes adjustment disorder as “the presence of emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor that occurs within three months of onset.” of the stressor”. In addition to exposure to one or more stressors, The following criteria must be present:
Symptoms of adjustment disorder
Adjustment disorder affects many children and adolescents, so It is important to identify the symptoms of this disorder and help the child or adolescent who is suffering from it.. Only in this way can you receive the most appropriate treatment.
It is important to keep in mind that children and adolescents often have different symptoms than adults. The main difference is that Children and adolescents tend to have more symptoms that affect easily observable behavior, such as misbehaving. Adults, on the other hand, have more depressive symptoms.
Symptoms of adjustment disorder can include intense anxiety, decreased self-esteem, impaired coping skills, irritability, fights with peers, isolation from family and friends, and a tendency to miss school, among others.
In the same way, Children with adjustment disorder may have trouble sleeping or recurrent crying spells. They may also experience episodes of anxiety or depression.
Adolescents with an adjustment disorder, on the other hand, are more likely to develop chronic depression and anxiety. Many teenagers use drugs or alcohol to cope with stress or anxiety. However, the regular use of these types of substances can mask a mental health problem that needs to be addressed.
Furthermore, the adjustment disorder interferes with the person’s daily functioning, that is, it The child or adolescent cannot function adequately in any of the areas of his or her life (school, social, family…). At this point it is important to note that each child and adolescent may experience symptoms differently, so the help of a mental health professional will be essential to make a proper diagnosis.
Types of adjustment disorders
There are six different subtypes of adjustment disorders. Each of the subtypes is based on the main symptoms experienced. The subtypes are listed below, as well as the most common symptoms of each of them:
Adjustment disorder with depressed mood: the child or adolescent feels depressed, cries frequently and expresses feelings of hopelessness.
Adjustment disorder with anxiety: Symptoms may include nervousness, worry, and fear of separation from primary attachment figures.
Adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood: combination of symptoms of the two previous subtypes (depressed mood and anxiety).
Adjustment disorder with behavioral disturbance: Symptoms include violation of the rights of others and violation of social norms and rules.
Adjustment disorder with mixed alteration of emotions and behavior: the child or adolescent has a combination of symptoms of all the previous subtypes, that is, they present a depressed mood, anxiety and behavioral alterations.
Unspecified adjustment disorder: the child has reactions to stressful events that do not fit into one of the previous subtypes. These may include behaviors such as social withdrawal.
As we have seen throughout the article, the consequences of adjustment disorder for children and adolescents are serious. Thus, It is important to pay attention to how children and adolescents adapt (or not) to stressful events..
