Adjustment disorder (AD) is a condition that includes both emotional or/and behavioral symptoms and occurs when individual is unable to cope with stress. It is a common diagnosis but few studies have been done due to controversial diagnosis related to their diagnostic criteria definition. It is often difficult to establish differential diagnosis with condition such as depressive and anxiety disorders or even normal reaction to stressful situations. There are limited tools to evaluate such condition and its definition is focused or based on lack of severity.

Study objective target is to analyse the differences between two groups, a first group with AD and another one with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (with different sociodemographic, clinical and triggering individual factors such as vulnerability or copying management).

We try to have a better comprehension and management of depressive conditions.

Two groups that belongs to Mental Health Community Team are compared. The first one with a diagnosis of AD, and another group with the diagnosis of MD. They have been diagnosed through a structured clinical interview and standard questionnaires to evaluate personality copying management. Other pathologies (such as psychotic, organic,…) were excluded through a structured clinical interview. We analyzed variables considered through variance analysis.

Significant differences between groups were found in some of the variables considered.

This study have important implications regarding evaluation, differential diagnosis and psychotherapeutic approach to patients with AD and MD.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.