Disputes produced by stiff adjustment (5)
I believe the answer is:
tiffs
'disputes' is the definition.
(I know this)
'stiff adjustment' is the wordplay.
'adjustment' indicates an anagram (the order of letters is adjusted).
'stiff' with letters rearranged gives 'TIFFS'.
'produced by' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for tiffs that I've seen before include "Petty quarrels" , "Spats" , "Arguments" , "Huffs; squabbles" , "Small quarrels" .)