Diagnostics: Adjustment Disorder With Depressed Mood Essay

Basis for Diagnosis Observations

The client is a 40-year-old male whose manager advised him to seek counsel. Robin experiences marital difficulties that manifested themselves in separation with his wife three weeks ago. The man engages in absenteeism and does not know whether he is still employed. The client does not feel motivated to resume his studies in a graduate school and physical exercise in a gym. Robin meets diagnostic criterion A because the development of his emotional and behavioral symptoms started within three months of the onset of relational problems that had triggered the disorder (APA, 2013). The man’s symptoms and behaviors are clinically significant because they cannot be aligned with the intensity of the stressor (B.1). Also, the client’s reaction to the separation from his wife has resulted in significant impairment of his occupational/social areas of functioning (B.2) (APA, 2013). Robin meets criterion C because his symptoms cannot be attributed to criteria for other mental disorders nor they can be explained by a preexisting mental disorder (APA, 2013). Criterion D is met because the symptoms are not part of normal bereavement (APA, 2013). It is too early to judge whether the client meets criterion E.

Developmental Disorder(s): No diagnosis

Rationale: Robin is gainfully employed in the IT sector. Also, before the marital problems, the man was in graduate school.

Personality Disorder(s): No diagnosis

Rationale: The client’s symptoms can be attributed to four out of five diagnostic criteria for adjustment disorders. A personality disorder cannot be diagnosed because before the onset of marital difficulties, Robin had a broad social circle, was in a men’s volleyball team, and had a career plan. Furthermore, there was no association with social constraints or intrusive thoughts (APA, 2013). Other signs of personality disorders such as poor impulse control, frequent mood swings, and alcohol or substance abuse were also absent.

Medical Disorder(s): No diagnosis

Rationale: Aside from an ankle and knee injury, the client does not have any medical history. Robin used to engage in regular physical exercise. There is no sign of disturbance in sleeping and eating patterns. Therefore, at this point, an underlying medical disorder cannot be diagnosed.

Client Strengths

The following strengths were conceptualized during the interview:

1. The client pursues an advanced academic degree, which will allow him to broaden his career opportunities.
2. Robin’s ability to persevere despite difficulties is evident in his support of the children and the continuation of education.
3. The man refers to his primary group for support, which can provide him with multiple emotional and psychological benefits.
4. Robin believes that staying busy is normal.
5. The man has a supportive friend.
6. Robin does not report having suicidal thoughts.
7. The man is a member of a church, which can serve as a source of additional support.
8. The client believes that he is capable of overcoming the difficulty.
9. Robing is willing to recover.

Comments/Differential Diagnosis

An adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood has been considered as a diagnosis for the client. However, Robin does not experience anxiety; therefore, the diagnosis has been discarded. The most important observation that helped to diagnose an adjustment disorder with depressed mood was a termination of a romantic relationship with the client’s wife. Taking into consideration the fact that the client is an Irish Catholic, he is at a higher risk for adjustment disorders since Catholics are exceptionally perceptive to a dissolution of marriage (Emery, 2013).

References

APA. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5^th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Emery, R. (Ed.). (2013). Cultural sociology of divorce: An encyclopedia (1^st ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.