Adjustment Disorder Test
A confidential self-assessment built on the ADNM-8, the brief research measure for adjustment disorder as defined in the ICD-11. It looks at how you are responding to a specific stressful life event, from a breakup to a job loss to an illness, and gives you an instant, plain-language result plus a professional PDF report you can keep or bring to a therapist.
Adjustment Disorder Test is a free, confidential 8-question self-assessment, based on the validated ADNM-8. It takes about 4 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 3 interpretation bands plus a downloadable PDF report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
Two ways a stressor can keep its grip on you
Struggling after a major life event is human. Adjustment disorder is what clinicians call it when the struggle stays bigger than expected and will not settle. The ADNM-8 measures the two reactions research puts at its core.
Preoccupation
How much the stressful event dominates your thinking: repeated, intrusive, distressing thoughts that circle back to what happened and are hard to switch off. In the ICD-11 model, this is the first core symptom.
Failure to adapt
How much the stress is disrupting your functioning: trouble concentrating and sleeping, irritability, and dreading work or everyday tasks since the event. This is the second core symptom, the one that shows up in daily life.
One stressor, six months
The test asks about your reactions to a specific stressful event or ongoing difficulty from the past 6 months. Adjustment reactions are tied to an identifiable stressor; that anchor is what separates them from general anxiety or depression.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Validated ADNM-8 items | Rarely | Yes, all 8 items |
| ICD-11 model (preoccupation + failure to adapt) | No | Yes, both scored |
| Honest about the research cutoff | Vague labels | Yes, clearly explained |
| Anchored to a specific stressor | Generic stress quiz | Yes, as the instrument intends |
| Clinician-reviewed | Rarely | Yes, physician reviewed |
| Downloadable PDF report | No | Yes, branded & shareable |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–24 in total. Your result falls into one of 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–7 | Adjusting well | Your answers suggest you are absorbing this stressor without it taking over your thoughts or your daily life. That is genuine resilience at work. |
| 8–14 | A noticeable stress reaction | Your answers suggest this event is occupying real space in your mind or your days. That is a common, human response, and it is worth supporting rather than ignoring. |
| 15–24 | High-risk range | Your answers reach the range validation research links with probable adjustment disorder. This stressor appears to be holding on harder than you deserve, and focused support tends to work well here. |
Methodology & sources
The eight statements reproduce the Adjustment Disorder New Module 8 (ADNM-8), the brief form of the ADNM questionnaire family originally developed by Einsle and colleagues (2010) and validated as an 8-item measure by Kazlauskas and colleagues (2018). The ADNM-8 follows the ICD-11 model of adjustment disorder, with four items measuring preoccupation with the stressor and four measuring failure to adapt, covering concentration, sleep, irritability, and reluctance toward work and daily tasks. As the instrument intends, you answer with one specific stressful life event or ongoing difficulty from the past 6 months in mind, and rate how often each reaction has applied to you.
One scoring adaptation was made for this online format. The original ADNM-8 rates each item from 1 (never) to 4 (often), giving totals of 8 to 32, and validation research identified scores of 23 or above as indicating high risk of adjustment disorder. Our engine scores the same four anchors 0 to 3, so totals run 0 to 24 and that published high-risk threshold converts to 15 or above; the information is identical, only shifted down by eight points. This test is for education and self-reflection, and a probability-based screening cutoff is not a diagnosis. Only a licensed clinician can assess adjustment disorder, which also requires ruling out other conditions that fit the picture better.
References
- Kazlauskas E, Gegieckaite G, Eimontas J, Zelviene P, Maercker A. A brief measure of the International Classification of Diseases-11 adjustment disorder: investigation of psychometric properties in an adult help-seeking sample. Psychopathology. 2018;51(1):10–15. doi.org/10.1159/000484415
- Einsle F, Köllner V, Dannemann S, Maercker A. Development and validation of a self-report for the assessment of adjustment disorders. Psychol Health Med. 2010;15(5):584–595. doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2010.487107
- O'Donnell ML, Agathos JA, Metcalf O, Gibson K, Lau W. Adjustment disorder: current developments and future directions. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(14):2537. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16142537
- World Health Organization. International Classification of Diseases, Eleventh Revision (ICD-11). Geneva: WHO; 2022. icd.who.int/
Adjustment Disorder Test FAQ
What is adjustment disorder?
It is a strong emotional and practical reaction to an identifiable life stressor, such as a breakup, divorce, job loss, move, illness, or ongoing conflict, that is bigger and more persistent than would usually be expected and that interferes with daily life. In the ICD-11 it has two core features: preoccupation with the stressor and failure to adapt. It is one of the most commonly given mental health diagnoses, and one of the most treatable.
How is adjustment disorder different from PTSD?
The stressor and the symptoms differ. PTSD follows exposure to a traumatic event, such as violence or a life-threatening accident, and involves re-experiencing, avoidance, and a persistent sense of threat. Adjustment disorder can follow any significant life stressor, traumatic or not, and centers on preoccupation and difficulty adapting. If what happened to you was frightening or life-threatening and you have flashbacks or nightmares, a PTSD screening and a trauma-informed clinician are the better route.
Is struggling after a breakup or job loss really a disorder?
Struggling is not a disorder; it is being human. Distress after a major event is normal and usually eases as weeks pass. The clinical label only applies when the reaction stays unusually intense, dominates your thinking, and keeps disrupting your work, sleep, or relationships. The point of the label is not to pathologize grief or stress, it is to unlock effective help for the people whose reactions are not settling on their own.
Does adjustment disorder go away on its own?
Often, yes. By definition the reaction is tied to the stressor, and symptoms typically resolve within about six months once the stressor and its consequences have ended. But when the stressor is ongoing, or when the reaction is severe, it can persist and can slide toward depression or anxiety. Support speeds things up considerably, and brief, focused therapy works well for exactly this kind of problem.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server, never stored, and never linked to you. No account is needed, and the optional PDF is generated on your own device.
How long does adjustment disorder last?
By definition, adjustment disorder begins within about three months of a stressor, and once the stressor and its consequences have ended, symptoms are expected to settle within six months. Ongoing stressors, like a drawn-out divorce or a chronic illness, can keep the reaction alive longer. If symptoms persist well beyond that window, or deepen rather than ease, a clinician should take a fresh look, because the picture may have shifted toward depression, anxiety, or PTSD, which are treated differently.
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