[Emotions and psychopathology]

The study of the emotions and their relation with the numerous symptoms of mental pathologies is made extremely difficult given that different meanings have been given to these terms by various authors. The cognitive and affective evaluation of events is decisive for emotional reaction (emotion) which forms part of a complex biological and behavioural system in which there is no causal linearity between event, stress and emotion, but rather an interactive modulatory relationship. Based on their experience and on data published by specialized clinics, the authors affirm that a given temperament or psychopathological condition influences research into the event as well as the emotion experienced.