Distinct cognitive and psychological profiles of adjustment disorderand depressive disorder in young adults

Le résumé fourni par la source

Abstract Adjustment Disorder (AjD) is a stress-related condition often overlooked in clinical research compared to Depressive Disorder (DD). This study aimed (1) to examine whether young adults with AjD exhibit distinct cognitive and psychological – including emotional, interpersonal, and behavioral – profiles compared to those with DD and healthy controls (HC), and (2) to identify potential markers that aid in differentiating AjD from DD. We analyzed psychological assessment data from young adults with AjD, DD, and HC. Cognitive and psychological variables were assessed using standardized tools. Between-group comparisons and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore diagnostic distinctions. Cognitively, compared to DD, individuals with AjD showed fewer deficits in processing speed but greater difficulty in visuospatial problem solving, suggesting stress-related challenges in adaptation. Psychologically, DD was characterized by heightened demoralization and reduced positive affect, while AjD showed milder elevations in these domains. Visuospatial performance emerged as a potential cognitive marker for AjD, and emotional demoralization and anhedonia for DD. The limitations of this study include an imbalanced sample size across groups and the lack of external validation using an independent dataset, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. In conclusion, the findings of this study imply the distinctive cognitive and psychological characteristics of young adults with AjD and their possible difficulties in coping with environmental changes and task-induced pressures. Additional investigations across various clinical settings are required to better understand the specific challenges associated with AjD.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.