FAMILY VULNERABILITY, MENTAL HEALTH AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS IN ADOLESCENTS IN BASIC EDUCATION

This article is the result of research on the influence of family vulnerability on the executive functions of adolescents in an educational institution in Tuluá, Colombia, during the year 2023. The study, a mixed-methods approach with a sequential explanatory design, included ten participants aged 11 to 17. An adaptation of the Multifactorial Exploratory Questionnaire of Cooperation and Aggression, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test were used, complemented by semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that 40% of the participants live with family members who consume psychoactive substances; 30% report feeling misunderstood or undervalued; 40% have experienced punitive measures such as beatings, intense arguments, insults, humiliation, and disdain; 30% have a negative perception of neighborhood safety; 90% have had problems for not following family rules; 30% have difficulties expressing their feelings; 70% have negative thoughts about themselves, and 30% have had suicidal ideations. Regarding executive functions, 70% scored below expectations on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and their percentiles in the ReyOsterrieth Complex Figure Test showed variability. These findings indicate that family vulnerability negatively influences executive and verbal fluency, planning, and decisionmaking in adolescents. Lack of emotional support and exposure to violent environments were highlighted as critical factors that deteriorate mental health and confidence in their abilities