Other Specified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder 289
Psychological factors affecting other medical conditions. In psychological factors af-
fecting other medical conditions, specific psychological entities (e.g., psychological symp-
toms, behaviors, other factors) exacerbate  a medical condition. These psychological
factors can precipitate, exacerbate, or put an individual at risk for medical illness, or they
can worsen an existing condition. In contrast, an adjustment disorder is a reaction to the
stressor (e.g., having a medical illness).
Normative stress reactions. When bad things happen, most  people get upset. This is
not an adjustment disorder. The diagnosis should only be made when the magnitude of
the distress (e.g., alterations in mood, anxiet y, or conduct) exceed s what would normally
be expected (which may vary in different cu ltures) or when the adverse event precipitates
functional impairment.
Comorbidity
Adjustment disorders can accompany most mental disorders and an y medical disorder.
Adjustment disorders can be diagnosed in additi on to another mental disorder only if the
latter does not explain the partic ular symptoms that occur in reaction to the stressor. For
example, an individual may develop an adjustment disorder, with depressed mood, after
losing a job and at the same time have a di agnosis of obsessive-co mpulsive disorder. Or,
an individual may have a depressive or bipo lar disorder and an adjustment disorder as
long as the criteria for both are met. Adju stment disorders are common accompaniments
of medical illness and may be the major psychological response to a medical disorder.
Other Specified Trauma- and
Stressor-Related Disorder
309.89 (F43.8)
This category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of a trauma- and