A longitudinal study of adjustment disorder after trauma exposure

Abstract

Objective:Adjustment disorder has been recategorized as a trauma- and stressor-related disorder in DSM-5. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of adjustment disorder in the first 12 months after severe injury; to determine whether adjustment disorder was a less severe disorder compared with other disorders in terms of disability and quality of life; to investigate the trajectory of adjustment disorder; and to examine whether the subtypes described in DSM-5 are distinguishable. Method: In a multisite, cohort study, injury patients were assessed during hospitalization and at 3 and 12 months postinjury (N=826). Structured clinical interviews were used to assess affective, anxie..