Underachievement in school

This diagnosis code signifies a student's academic performance falling significantly below their intellectual potential, despite adequate educational opportunities and effort. It indicates a discrepancy between expected and actual school achievement, often leading to academic difficulties and potential emotional distress.

This code is appropriate when a clinician identifies a pattern of academic underperformance in a school-aged individual, particularly when other learning disorders or intellectual disabilities have been ruled out. It can be used in conjunction with codes for underlying psychological or social factors contributing to the underachievement, such as anxiety or family issues.

• Always document the specific academic areas affected and the duration of the underachievement.
• Ensure that the medical record clearly supports that the underachievement is not solely due to a diagnosed learning disability or intellectual disability.
• Consider co-coding with other relevant mental health or psychosocial codes that may explain the underachievement.