Risk factors for Adjustment Disorder

Certain individuals may have a predisposition or vulnerability that can play a part in the risk of occurrence and how the disorder presents. Individuals susceptibility can be affected by factors such as:

• Genetics
• Flexibility
• Intelligence
• Social skills
• Coping strategies
• Sex: women are thought to be at higher risk than men (boys and girls are even)

People who face certain stressors like medical problems or living in challenging environments may be at increased risk. In these populations, adjustment disorder has been diagnosed in up to 50% of the people.

The stressor itself may also interfere with an individual’s support network.

Certain early-childhood family history factors seem to contribute to the chance that an individual may suffer from an adjustment disorder in the future. These include:

• Frequent moves as a child
• Abusive family of origin
• Overprotective family of origin
• Coming from a disadvantaged background
• Prior exposure to extreme trauma (such as war) without having previously developed either an adjustment disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Individuals who are at higher risk for adjustment disorders also often have other conditions, such as a history of anxiety , depression , bipolar disorder , or eating disorders .