Samuel is a 7-year-old whose family experiences economic hardship. He has six siblings, all under the age of 10. His father left the family several years ago and his mother needs to work nights to provide for the family. One night when his mother was at work there was a fire in their apartment. Thankfully Samuel and his siblings all escaped without injury. Samuel's teacher noted that about a month after the fire he started having difficulty concentrating during class and hadn't been keeping up with his homework. This continued for about 5 months and then his school performance started to improve. Which stress-related disorder does this best describe?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Samuel's difficulty concentrating and struggling with school work occurred after a specific stressful event (the fire) and lasted less than 6 months, which fits the criteria for an adjustment disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder usually involves persistent symptoms that last longer than a month, while disinhibited social engagement disorder and reactive attachment disorder are typically observed in children who have experienced early childhood trauma or neglect.

Samuel Is a 7-Year-Old Whose Family Experiences Economic Hardship