An emotional disorder is defined as

• A. It limits the way a person functions emotionally and socially
• B. It is a temporary mood-change due to stress
• C. It is a mental illness that only occurs in childhood
• D. It is unrelated to daily functioning

Answer: (A)

An emotional disorder fundamentally involves impairment in how a person experiences and expresses emotions and how those emotions affect daily life and relationships. It’s not just a temporary mood swing; it’s a persistent difficulty that interferes with functioning in emotional, social, and often practical areas like school, work, or home. For example, someone might struggle to control worry or sadness in a way that leads to avoiding social situations or failing to meet responsibilities, which shows up across multiple parts of life.

The other ideas don’t fit because a temporary mood-change due to stress is not a lasting impairment, emotional disorders aren’t limited to childhood, and the disorder is indeed related to daily functioning.