A previous investigation explored the diagnosis of adjustment disorder
and found it to have descriptive and face validity. This study of the
status at 5-year follow-up of 100 patients given this diagnosis strongly
supports the validity of the category among adults but only partially among
adolescents. Seventy-nine percent of the adults were well at follow-up,
with 8% having had an intervening problem. Comparable figures for the
adolescents were 57% and 13%. Most adults who were ill developed either
major depression or alcoholism. The adolescents' illnesses included
schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, major depression, bipolar
disorder, antisocial personality, alcoholism, and drug use disorder.
Chronicity and behavioral symptoms were the strongest predictors of poor
outcome.
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