advancedadjustment disorderdifferential diagnosisDSM-5-TR criteriastressor-related disorders
A 50-year-old female executive presents 6 weeks after being unexpectedly laid off from a position she held for 18 years. She reports depressed mood, tearfulness, difficulty sleeping, worry about finances, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. She denies anhedonia, suicidal ideation, feelings of worthlessness, psychomotor changes, or persistent worry across multiple life domains beyond the job loss. She has no psychiatric history. On structured clinical interview, she does not meet full criteria for major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. Her symptoms began within 2 weeks of the layoff. Which diagnosis most accurately captures this presentation?