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Caregivers experience great stress, and coping can be one of the factors, which determine the extent of stress. The aim of the present paper is to analyze the effects of coping strategies on distress of the older adult's caregiver, including guilt as a mediating factor in those maladaptive strategies. The sample consisted of 201 informal caregivers of institutionalized older adults. The three constructs measured were: stress, guilt, and coping strategies. Results showed that strategies that have a better ability to reduce stress are active, positive reframing and acceptance; on the contrary, behavioral disengagement, self-distraction, self-blame and venting positively predicted the feeling of guilt that facilitated the perception of stress. Given the important association obtained between the experience of guilt and psychological distress in caregivers, it could be relevant to develop psychoeducational interventions with caregivers including techniques to reduce this feeling of guilt and develop cognitive behavioral strategies that facilitate adaptation.

La correcta identificación de las emociones básicas (alegría, miedo, asco, tristeza, sorpresa e ira) desempeñan un importante papel en las relaciones sociales y conductas ligadas a la propia supervivencia. En la Enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) la capacidad de reconocimiento emocional podría estar ya alterada en fases iniciales. Por ello, el objetivo principal del presente trabajo fue realizar una revisión sistemática de la literatura acerca del reconocimiento facial en personas con EA, identificando posibles variables moduladoras. Se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos Web of Science y PsycINFO. Después de aplicar los criterios de inclusión-exclusión se seleccionaron un total de 28 artículos. Las imágenes estáticas fueron los estímulos más utilizados para evaluar el reconocimiento de las emociones básicas, especialmente las fotografías desarrolladas por Paul Ekman y colaboradores. Los resultados de la revisión indican que en las personas con EA generalmente muestran déficit del reconocimiento emocional aunque los datos no son concluyentes, lo que podría estar relacionado con la diversidad de metodologías aplicadas. En relación con las variables evaluadas (sexo y edad) se pone de manifiesto la necesidad de futuras investigaciones que estudien de forma sistemática cómo estos factores pueden modular el reconocimiento emocional en pacientes con Enfermedad de Alzheimer. The correct identification of basic emotions (joy, fear, disgust, sadness, surprise and anger) plays an important role in social relationships and behaviors linked to one´s survival. In Alzheimer´s disease (AD) the ability to recognize emotions may already be impaired at early stages of the disease. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to carry out a systematic review of the literature on facial emotional recognition in people with AD, identifying possible modulating variables. A search in the Web of Science and PsycInfo databases was carried out. After applying the inclusion-exclusion criteria, a total of 28 articles were selected. Static images were the most used stimuli to evaluate the recognition of basic emotions, especially the photographs developed by Paul Ekman and collaborators. Results of the present review indicate the people with AD generally display deficits in emotional recognition although the data are not conclusive, which could be related to the diversity of methodologies applied. In relation to the variables evaluated (sex and age) the need of further research in order to study how these factors could modulate emotional recognition in patients with Alzheimer´s disease is highlighted.

Background: The study of emotion recognition could be crucial for detecting alterations in certain cognitive areas or as an early sign of neurological disorders. Objective: The main objective of the study is to characterize research development on emotion recognition, identifying the intellectual structure that supports this area of knowledge, and the main lines of research attracting investigators’ interest. Methods: We identified publications on emotion recognition and dementia included in the Web of Science Core Collection, analyzing the scientific output and main disciplines involved in generating knowledge in the area. A co-citation analysis and an analysis of the bibliographic coupling between the retrieved documents elucidated the thematic orientations of the research and the reference works that constitute the foundation for development in the field. Results: A total of 345 documents, with 24,282 bibliographic references between them, were included. This is an emerging research area, attracting the interest of investigators in Neurosciences, Psychology, Clinical Neurology, and Psychiatry, among other disciplines. Four prominent topic areas were identified, linked to frontotemporal dementia, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s and Huntington disease. Many recent papers focus on the detection of mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Impaired emotion recognition may be a key sign facilitating the diagnosis and early treatment of different neurodegenerative diseases as well as for triggering the necessary provision of social and family support, explaining the growing research interest in this area.

International audience; Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is considered the ‘gold standard’ in the treatment of addictive disorders related to excessive technology use. However, the cognitive components of problematic internet use are not yet well-known. The aim of the present study was to explore the cognitive components, that according to problematic users, can lead to potential internet addiction. A total of 854 European adults completed an online survey using a mixed-methods design. Internet problems and attachment styles were assessed, prevalence rates estimated, correlations, chi-squared automatic interaction detection, and content analysis were performed. Self-reported addictions to social networking, internet, and gaming had a prevalence between 1.2% (gaming) to 2.7% (social networking). Self-perception of the addiction problem and preoccupied attachment style were discriminative factors for internet addiction. In an analysis of qualitative responses from self-identified compulsive internet users, a sense of not belonging and feeling of disconnection during life events were perceived as causes for internet addiction. The development depended on a cycle of mixed feelings associated with negative thoughts, compensated by a positive online identity. The severity of this behaviour pattern produced significant impairment in various areas of the participants’ functioning, suggesting a possible addiction problem. It is suggested that health professionals administering CBT should target unhealthy preoccupations and monitor mixed feelings and thoughts related to internet use to support coping with cognitive distortions.

Los profesionales de las ciencias de la salud y de la educación necesitan herramientas adecuadas para llevar a cabo la prevención de los trastornos del desarrollo infantil. La Escala de Desarrollo Armónico –EDA–, se presenta como una propuesta que permite la coordinación interdisciplinaria y la colaboración de los educadores. La escala se ha construido para observar el ascenso del paisaje epigenético individual desde el paradigma de los sistemas dinámicos. Para lograrlo, se han estudiado parámetros que pueden explicar la evolución del sistema –índice de armonía y cociente de desarrollo estable–, un mecanismo del cambio –tirón cognitivo– y fuerzas moldeadoras –velocidad y cristalización–, siguiendo el principio de «armonía» para alcanzar el máximo desarrollo potencial. La estructura de la escala es adecuada para funcionar como un test adaptativo informatizado, por lo que resulta accesible, fácil de usar y puede validarse siguiendo la metodología de respuesta al ítem –TRI–. Las cualidades «orgánicas» de la EDA permiten un funcionamiento interactivo a través de Internet –www.maternal.eu–, donde ya presta servicio a educadores, profesionales e investigadores.

espanolEl estudio del desarrollo humano comprende el analisis de los cambios de com-portamiento dentro de las personas a lo largo de su vida (i.e., cambios intraindivi-duales) asi como de las diferencias y similitudes entre las personas en la naturaleza de dichos cambios (i.e., diferencias interindividuales). En el presente trabajo, en primer lugar, se examina el desarrollo humano desde el enfoque teorico del ciclo vital y desde la aproximacion ecologica de Bronfenbrenner. En la segunda parte, aplicando los principios teoricos de los dos enfoques arriba mencionados, se analiza el papel de la escuela y la familia como una oportunidad –aprovechada o perdida– para el desarrollo psicosocial de ninos y adolescentes. EnglishThe study of human development involves the analysis of changes in behaviour within individuals throughout their lives (i.e., intra-individual changes) as well as differences and similarities between individuals in the nature of those changes (i.e., inter-individual differences). In this paper, first, human development is exa-mined from the theoretical life span approach and from the ecological approach of Bronfenbrenner. In the second part, applying the theoretical principles of the two approaches mentioned above, the role of school and family as an opportunity -used or lost- for the psychosocial development of children and adolescents is analysed

Recent emergent research is seriously questioning whether parental strictness contributes to children’s psychosocial adjustment in all cultural contexts. We examined cross-generational differences in parental practices characterized by warmth and practices characterized by strictness, as well as the relationship between parenting styles (authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful) and psychosocial adjustment in adulthood. Parenting practices characterized by warmth (affection, reasoning, indifference, and detachment) and strictness (revoking privileges, verbal scolding, and physical punishment) were examined. Psychosocial adjustment was captured with multidimensional self-concept and well-being (life satisfaction and happiness). Participants were 871 individuals who were members of three generations of Spanish families: College students (G3), their parents (G2), and their grandparents (G1). Results showed two different cross-generational patterns in parenting practices, with an increased tendency toward parental warmth (parents use more affection and reasoning but less indifference across generations) and a decreased tendency toward parental strictness (parents use revoking privileges, verbal scolding, and physical punishment less across generations). Interestingly, despite cross-generational differences in parenting practices, a common pattern between parenting styles and psychosocial adjustment was found: indulgent parenting was related to equal or even better self-concept and well-being than authoritative parenting, whereas parenting characterized by non-warmth (authoritarian and neglectful) was related to poor scores.

Objective: We examine parenting styles (characterized by warmth and strictness, i.e., neglectful, indulgent, authoritarian and authoritative) as either a protective or risk factor for adolescence d...

International audience; The 14-item Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) is one of the most frequently internationally adapted psychometric instruments developed to assess generalized problematic Internet use. Multiple adaptations of this instrument have led to versions in different languages (e.g., Arabic and French), and different numbers of items (e.g., from 5 to 16 items instead of the original 14). However, to date, the CIUS has never been simultaneously compared and validated in several languages and different versions. Consequently, the present study tested the psychometric properties of four CIUS versions (i.e., CIUS-14, CIUS-9, CIUS-7, and CIUS-5) across eight languages (i.e., German, French, English, Finnish, Spanish, Italian, Polish, and Hungarian) to (a) examine their psychometric properties, and (b) test their measurement invariance. These analyses also identified the optimal versions of the CIUS. The data were collected via online surveys administered to 4,226 voluntary participants from 15 countries, aged at least 18 years, and recruited from academic environments. All brief versions of the CIUS in all eight languages were validated. Dimensional, configural, and metric invariance were established across all languages for the CIUS-5, CIUS-7, and CIUS-9, but the CIUS-5 and CIUS-7 were slightly more suitable because their model fitted the ordinal estimate better, while for cross-comparisons, the CIUS-9 was slightly better. The brief versions of the CIUS are therefore reliable and structurally stable instruments that can be used for cross-cultural research across adult populations.

Families can play an essential role in preventing violent and antisocial behaviors, which are considered a significant public health issue. However, some studies argue that most children are antisocial only during adolescence, and even teenagers can mimic antisocial behavior in ways that are normative and well-adjusted. This study analyzed patterns of competence and adjustment in young adults with and without an antisocial tendency during adolescence from authoritative (characterized by warmth and strictness), authoritarian (strictness but not warmth), indulgent (warmth but not strictness), and neglectful (neither warmth nor strictness) families. Emergent research has indicated that in a European context, the indulgent parenting style is optimal. Offspring’s competence and adjustment were captured through self-esteem (academic and family), psychosocial development (self-competence and empathy), and low emotional maladjustment (nervousness and hostility). Participants consisted of a community sample of 489 Spanish young adults, 191 men (39.1%) and 298 women (60.9%), aged 18 to 34 years old. The design was a 4 × 2 × 2 × 2 MANOVA (parenting style × antisocial tendency × sex × age). Analysis of main effects showed that youths with an antisocial tendency have less self-esteem and psychosocial development, but more emotional maladjustment. Regardless of the parenting style, an antisocial tendency during adolescence is consistently associated with worse adjustment in young adults. Both the authoritative and indulgent parenting styles are consistently associated with better outcomes (higher self-esteem and psychosocial development, and lower emotional maladjustment) than the authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles. However, there are interactions between the parenting style and the antisocial tendency. For young adults without an antisocial tendency, only indulgent parenting is associated with less emotional maladjustment. These results support the idea that in Europe the indulgent parenting style performs better than the authoritative style, but only when raising adolescents without an antisocial tendency. For young adults with an antisocial tendency, indulgent and authoritative parenting are equally optimal for all the studied outcomes.

Este estudio analiza la vulnerabilidad de los adolescentes a par- tir de la autoestima y el consumo de sustancias, y la protección o riesgo del estilo de socialización. La muestra fue de 1445 adolescentes españoles (59.4% mujeres), 600 tempranos de 12 a 15 años (41.5%) y 845 tardíos de 16 a 17 años (58.5%). Las familias se clasificaron en una de las cuatro tipo- logías: indulgente, autorizativa, autoritaria y negligente. El ajuste de los hijos se midió con autoestima (emocional, familiar y física) y consumo de sustan- cias (alcohol, tabaco, cannabis y drogas de síntesis). Los resultados mostra- ron que en la adolescencia tardía la vulnerabilidad fue mayor que en la tem- prana. Se encontró una interacción entre la etapa de la adolescencia y el se- xo. Los adolescentes tardíos presentaron mayor consumo de sustancias (aunque no las adolescentes) en cannabis y drogas de síntesis. La menor au- toestima emocional correspondió a las adolescentes tardías y la menor au- toestima familiar a los adolescentes tardíos. El estilo parental no interactuó con la etapa de la adolescencia ni con el sexo. El estilo indulgente igualó, o incluso mejoró, la protección respecto del autorizativo, mientras que los es- tilos parentales autoritario y negligente actuaron como factores de riesgo. This study analyzes adolescents’ vulnerability based on self- esteem and substance use, with parenting style as a protective or risk factor. The sample was composed of 1445 Spanish adolescents (59.4% females), 600 early (41.5%, from 12 to 15 years old) and 845 late (58.5%, from 16 to 17 years old) adolescents. Families were classified in one of four typologies: Indulgent, authoritative, authoritarian, and neglectful. Adolescents’ adjust- ment was captured through self-esteem (emotional, family, and physical) and substance use (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and synthetic drugs). Results showed that vulnerability was greater in late adolescence than in early ado- lescence. An interaction was found between the adolescent stage and gen- der. Male late adolescents had higher substance use of cannabis and syn- thetic drugs. The lowest emotional self-esteem corresponded to female late adolescents, and the lowest family self-esteem corresponded to male late adolescents. The parenting style did not interact with the stage of adoles- cence or gender. The indulgent parenting style was associated with equal or even greater protection than the authoritative parenting style against psy- chosocial maladjustment problems in adolescence, whereas the authoritari- an and neglectful parenting styles acted as risk factors.

The prevalence of mobile phone use across the world has increased greatly over the past two decades. Problematic Mobile Phone Use (PMPU) has been studied in relation to public health and comprises various behaviours, including dangerous, prohibited, and dependent use. These types of problematic mobile phone behaviours are typically assessed with the short version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ–SV). However, to date, no study has ever examined the degree to which the PMPU scale assesses the same construct across different languages. The aims of the present study were to (i) determine an optimal factor structure for the PMPUQ–SV among university populations using eight versions of the scale (i.e., French, German, Hungarian, English, Finnish, Italian, Polish, and Spanish), and (ii) simultaneously examine the measurement invariance (MI) of the PMPUQ–SV across all languages. The whole study sample comprised 3038 participants. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were extracted from the demographic and PMPUQ-SV items. Individual and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses alongside MI analyses were conducted. Results showed a similar pattern of PMPU across the translated scales. A three-factor model of the PMPUQ-SV fitted the data well and presented with good psychometric properties. Six languages were validated independently, and five were compared via measurement invariance for future cross-cultural comparisons. The present paper contributes to the assessment of problematic mobile phone use because it is the first study to provide a cross-cultural psychometric analysis of the PMPUQ-SV.

Emerging adulthood is a transitional period which has been examined in relatively few studies in Southern European countries. This study has two aims: (1) to determine the features of emerging adulthood in Spain based on criteria for adulthood and experiential dimensions; and (2) to explore whether variations in these criteria are related to gender and adult status (self-classification as an adult and adult role adoption). Participants included 347 young Spanish people, aged 18-30, who completed a questionnaire about their conceptions of adulthood. They used similar criteria for adulthood to other Western countries, placing an extremely strong emphasis on psychological maturity criteria in comparison with role transition indicators. Important variations were observed in both the importance and achievement of criteria for adulthood according to gender and adult status. The results likewise suggest there may be different psychosocial profiles associated with each adult status group. The relevance of this classification to future research in the field of emerging adulthood is discussed.

En este estudio se analizaron los estilos parentales de socialización familiar y sus resultados a corto y largo plazo aplicando el modelo de dos dimensiones y cuatro tipologías de socialización. Los resultados de la socialización parental analizados en los hijos fueron la autoestima y la internalización de los valores sociales. Los participantes fueron adolescentes (n = 571) y adultos mayores (n = 527) españoles. Los resultados indicaron que tanto los adolescentes como los adultos mayores de las familias indulgentes mostraron igual e incluso mayor autoestima que los de las familias autorizativas, mientras que los de las familias autoritarias y negligentes se asociaban de manera consistente a los niveles de autoestima más bajos. Respecto a la internalización de los valores sociales, los adolescentes y adultos mayores de familias indulgentes y autorizativas priorizaron los valores de autotrascendencia (universalismo y benevolencia) y conservación (seguridad, conformidad y tradición) en comparación con los de hogares autoritarios y negligentes y los de las familias negligentes y autoritarias mostraron puntuaciones más bajas en todas las medidas de internalización de valores sociales. Estos resultados sugieren que la combinación de altos niveles de aceptación e implicación, junto con bajos niveles de severidad e imposición (el estilo parental indulgente), constituye la estrategia parental óptima en el contexto cultural donde se ha realizado el estudio y que la relación entre los estilos parentales y los resultados de la socialización comparten un mismo patrón a corto y largo plazo.

We propose a new paradigm with three historical stages for an optimal parenting style (i.e., indulgent parenting style), which extends the traditional paradigm of only two stages (i.e., authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles). The three stages concur, at the same time, in different environments, context, and cultures. We studied the third stage for optimal parent&ndash, child relationships through the offspring&rsquo, s personal and social well-being, with four adolescent samples from 11 to 19 years old (52.2% girls) from Spain (n = 689), the United States (n = 488), Germany (n = 606), and Brazil (n = 672). The offspring&rsquo, s personal well-being was measured through self-esteem (academic, social, emotional, family, and physical), while social well-being was measured with the internalization of self-transcendence (universalism and benevolence) and conservation values (security, conformity, and tradition). The parent&ndash, child parenting style was measured through parental warmth and strictness, and the adolescents&rsquo, parents were classified into one of four groups (indulgent, authoritarian, authoritative, and neglectful). Remarkably, the greatest personal well-being was found for adolescents raised with higher parental warmth and lower parental strictness (i.e., indulgent), and the greatest social well-being was found for adolescents raised with higher parental warmth (i.e., indulgent and authoritative, p &lt, 0.05 for all countries). Consistently, poorer personal well-being and social well-being were associated with less parental warmth (i.e., authoritarian and neglectful). Findings suggest that the parent&ndash, child relationships analyzed have a common pattern associated with personal and social well-being that coincide with a proposed third stage.

Background and aims: Despite many positive benefits, mobile phone use can be associated with harmful and detrimental behaviors. The aim of this study was twofold: to examine (a) cross-cultural patterns of perceived dependence on mobile phones in ten European countries, first, grouped in four different regions (North: Finland and UK; South: Spain and Italy; East: Hungary and Poland; West: France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland), and second by country, and (b) how socio-demographics, geographic differences, mobile phone usage patterns, and associated activities predicted this perceived dependence.\ud \ud Methods: A sample of 2,775 young adults (aged 18–29 years) were recruited in different European Universities who participated in an online survey. Measures included socio-demographic variables, patterns of mobile phone use, and the dependence subscale of a short version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ; Billieux, Van der Linden, & Rochat, 2008).\ud \ud Results: The young adults from the Northern and Southern regions reported the heaviest use of mobile phones, whereas perceived dependence was less prevalent in the Eastern region. However, the proportion of highly dependent mobile phone users was more elevated in Belgium, UK, and France. Regression analysis identified several risk factors for increased scores on the PMPUQ dependence subscale, namely using mobile phones daily, being female, engaging in social networking, playing video games, shopping and viewing TV shows through the Internet, chatting and messaging, and using mobile phones for downloading-related activities.\ud \ud Discussion and conclusions: Self-reported dependence on mobile phone use is influenced by frequency and specific application usage.

ResumenEste articulo presenta una revision teorica, integradora y actualizada del constructo de generatividad como tarea psicosocial genuina del periodo adulto. Descrita inicialmente por E. Erikson como cuidado activo de aquellos a quienes uno ha dado origen o de los que uno se siente responsable, ha sido reformulada en los anos noventa desde dos potentes modelos explicativos, los de McAdams y Bradley. En el primero se incorporan varias facetas que convergen desde el ambito de lo sociocultural hacia una construccion narrativa individual “en clave generativa”. En el segundo se conjugan las dimensiones “uno mismo/los otros” y las de “implicacion/inclusividad”, dando lugar a una tipologia de estilos generativos. Se discute igualmente el panorama de la investigacion mas reciente centrada en el curso evolutivo de la generatividad y en las relaciones entre generatividad, bienestar psicologico y desempeno de roles adultos. Las conclusiones finales se estructuran en tres ejes: a) la teoria de la generatividad; b)...

Este estudio longitudinal analiza la influencia de la transicion “nacimiento de un hermano” sobre la calidad del apego infantil, la autonomia, y la aceptacion del nuevo hermano o hermana. Los parti...

This qualitative research study depicts the main categories obtained by means of an inductive methodology based on the content analysis of 8 interviews using the N’Vivo program. The sample consisted of 8 men (between 26 and 45 years) who had passed a competitive examination. We take into consideration whether this life event and its related transition is an example of a contemporary rite of passage. We focus on changes reported by the subjects once the developmental transition was over. These changes are related to new social identities. The most relevant psychological and structural processes in order to get this kind of optimal changes are also discussed.

Los objetivos de este estudio son: a) Describir los sucesos vitales y tensiones que afectan a los padres con hijos adolescentes, y b) Verificar las posibles diferencias en la descripción de estos sucesos por parte de los padres en función de la edad del hijo adolescente mayor: mayor o menor de 19 años. A tal fin, una muestra de 386 padres (193 matrimonios) de hijos adolescentes fueron evaluados a partir del FILE (Hernández Córdoba 1991). Resultados: a) durante el último año se da un mayor promedio de tensiones intrafamiliares, seguidas por las económicas y laborales; b) los padres con un hijo primogénito de 19 años o más experimentan más tensiones por enfermedad, y por la entrada o salida de miembros en la familia que los padres con un hijo primogénito menor de 19 años. The aims of this study are: a) to describe life events and strains that affect parents with teenagers, and b) to check the possible differences in the description of these events by parents according to the age of the first-born teenager: over or under 19. With this aim in view, a sample of 386 parents (193 married couples) with teenagers were evaluated using FILE (Hernández Córdoba 1991). The results obtained prove that: a) during the last year a higher average of intrafamilies strains take place, followed by the economic and work strains; b) parents with a 19 or over 19 first-born child undergo more strains due to illness, and due to the entrance or leaving of a family member, than parents with a first-born child under 19.

The authors describe a case of early onset ataxia with cerebellar atrophy and vitamin E deficiency, treated with alpha-tocopherol supplementation and physically rehabilitated by postural biofeedback. Clinical assessments, serum vitamin E levels and postural evaluation by means of a stabilometric platform continued for about 2 years and significant clinical improvement was recorded. Our study confirms that combined physical therapy and vitamin E supplementation may result in improvement of cerebellar function. Motor improvement is directly related to vitamin E serum levels, providing further confirmation that normal vitamin E levels are crucial for proper brain functions.

Resumen: El trastorno mental grave (TMG) se considera de etiología multicausal, de carácter severo y persistente de síntomas psicóticos y engloba varios trastornos de entre los cuales el más estudiado es la esquizofrenia que manifiesta un deterioro cognitivo con inicio en fase premórbida. Según los estudios no existe síntoma patognomónico que la diferencia de otros trastornos. Sin embargo se ha podido comprobar que los déficits cognitivos que más se repiten dentro del trastorno son alteraciones de las funciones ejecutivas como la atención, inhibición, organización y planificación en la memoria de trabajo verbal (MTV), originando un deterioro en el nivel funcional del paciente. Aunque se repiten en otros trastornos como bipolar (TB), trastornos esquizotípico de la personalidad, depresión mayor etc. se diferencian en cantidad y gravedad dentro de un continuo dimensional. Por otra parte, las personas con TMG presentan un deterioro marcado en las tareas de memoria con un pobre uso de estrategias semánticas y dificultades en la posterior recuperación de información de la memoria a largo plazo (MLP), posiblemente por una deficiencia de los mecanismos cerebrales que la sustentan, cuya etiopatogenia podría tener origen en el neurodesarrollo, pero también verse afectadas por el curso lento y progresivo de la enfermedad y por la posible interferencia de la intervención farmacológica como posible causa de comorbilidades físicas y empeoramiento cognitivo. Abstract: Severe Mental Illness (SMI) is a disorder with multicausal etiology that shows severe and persistent psychotic symptoms. Among the different disorders manifested, schizophrenia with cognitive impairment in premorbid phases has been the most studied one. According to different studies, there are no pathognomonic symptoms that differentiate it from other disorders. However, it has been proved that alterations in the executive functions, such as attention, inhibition, organization and planification of the verbal working memory (VWM), are the most repetitive cognitive impairments, which cause, at the same time, a decline in the patient’s functional level. Although these are also shown in other types of disorders, such as bipolar, schizotypal disorder, depression, etc., there are differences in quantity and severity within a dimensional continuum. Besides, people with SMI also suffer from damage in memory tasks, with a poor use of semantic strategies and certain difficulties in recovering information in long-term memory. This may be possibly caused by a deficit in brain mechanisms that could be originated in the neurodevelopment. However, it could also be impaired by the slow and progressive development of the illness and pharmacological interferences, leading to potential physical comorbidities and cognitive impairment.