Recent stressful life events among Bahraini adolescents with adjustment disorder.

Adolescents from two time periods, diagnosed with adjustment disorder (n = 72), were examined retrospectively for the type of life stressors that initiated their referrals to a child psychiatry unit. They were compared with a control group of adolescents (n = 42) who were referred to the unit during the same time periods and who received a diagnosis of "no psychopathology." Disappointment in relationships with a family member or with a friend of the opposite sex was found to be the main stressor. Frequency of distribution of the stressors was almost the same in the two time periods. Patients were more often females from nonintact families and referred mainly by medical personnel. The different presenting symptoms and the contribution of the stressors to the adolescents' difficulties are discussed.