Which statement best differentiates Adjustment Disorder with anxiety from Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Which statement best differentiates Adjustment Disorder with anxiety from Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

• A. GAD involves persistent excessive worry across multiple domains for at least 6 months.
• B. Adjustment Disorder with anxiety occurs in response to an identifiable stressor, within 3 months, and does not persist beyond 6 months after the stressor ends.
• C. GAD is primarily a reaction to a single identifiable stressor.
• D. Adjustment Disorder with anxiety lasts longer than 6 months regardless of the stressor.

Answer: (B)

The distinguishing idea is how the anxiety symptoms relate to a specific stressor and how long they persist. Adjustment Disorder with anxiety appears in response to an identifiable stressor, starts within 3 months of that stressor, and, once the stressor ends, the symptoms typically do not persist beyond 6 months. This makes it a time-limited reaction tied to a concrete event. Generalized Anxiety Disorder, in contrast, involves chronic, excessive worry across multiple domains for at least 6 months and is not anchored to a single identifiable stressor. So the statement that best differentiates Adjustment Disorder with anxiety from Generalized Anxiety Disorder is the one describing a reaction to an identifiable stressor beginning within 3 months and not lasting more than 6 months after the stressor ends. The other options either describe GAD’s chronic, pervasive worry, misstate the role of a stressor, or inaccurately claim that Adjustment Disorder lasts beyond the expected 6-month window after the stressor.

The distinguishing idea is how the anxiety symptoms relate to a specific stressor and how long they persist. Adjustment Disorder with anxiety appears in response to an identifiable stressor, starts within 3 months of that stressor, and, once the stressor ends, the symptoms typically do not persist beyond 6 months. This makes it a time-limited reaction tied to a concrete event. Generalized Anxiety Disorder, in contrast, involves chronic, excessive worry across multiple domains for at least 6 months and is not anchored to a single identifiable stressor.

So the statement that best differentiates Adjustment Disorder with anxiety from Generalized Anxiety Disorder is the one describing a reaction to an identifiable stressor beginning within 3 months and not lasting more than 6 months after the stressor ends. The other options either describe GAD’s chronic, pervasive worry, misstate the role of a stressor, or inaccurately claim that Adjustment Disorder lasts beyond the expected 6-month window after the stressor.