Adjustment (psychology)

In psychology, adjustment is the condition of a person who is able to adapt to changes in their physical, occupational, and social environment. In other words, adjustment refers to the behavioural process of balancing conflicting needs, or needs challenged by obstacles in the environment. Humans and animals regularly adjust to their environment. For example, when they are stimulated by their physiological state to seek food, they eat (if possible) to reduce their hunger and thus adjust to the hunger stimulus. Adjustment disorder occurs when there is an inability to make a normal adjustment to some need or stress in the environment.

Successful adjustment is crucial to having a high quality of life. Those who are unable to adjust well are more likely to have clinical anxiety or depression,^[1] as well as experience feelings of hopelessness, anhedonia, difficulty concentrating, sleeping problems and reckless behavior.^[2]

When evaluating adjustment it can be considered in two ways: adjustment as an achievement and adjustment as a process.