En la actualidad los índices de violencia se han incrementado notoriamente, esta problemática trae consigo diversas consecuencias negativas, cabe mencionar que, para la aparición de dicho fenómeno, intervienen tanto factores internos como externos, entre los cuales destaca la impulsividad, esta se encuentra directamente asociada a la consecución de actos delictivos, los cuales traen caos y atemorizan a la sociedad. La impulsividad es una variable estudiada; sin embargo, en nuestro país existen escasas investigaciones enfocadas en adolescentes infractores, especialmente en la región Lambayeque. El presente estudio fue de tipo descriptivo asociativo, de corte transversal, tuvo como objetivo determinar los factores asociados a la impulsividad en adolescentes infractores, para ello se trabajó con una muestra censal, la cual estuvo conformada por 150 participantes de un centro juvenil de medio cerrado del norte del Perú. Se empleó la versión adaptada al contexto peruano por Fernández de la Escala de Impulsividad de Barratt (BIS - 11), compuesta por 30 ítems. Los resultados evidencian que el nivel moderado obtuvo el mayor porcentaje de impulsividad para cada una de las tres dimensiones: impulsividad cognitiva, impulsividad motora e impulsividad no planeada. Además, en cuanto a los factores asociados, se concluye que el factor edad, infracción cometida y tiempo de permanencia no están asociados a la impulsividad.

The Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory proposed three neuropsychological systems which mediate individual differences in emotion, motivation and learning: Behavioral Activation System, Behavioral Inhibition System and Fight/Flight System, which involve reward, punishment and threat sensitivity systems, respectively. The systems´ sensitivity mediates individual differences on the personality traits Impulsivity and Anxiety. One of the most widely used scales to detect and measure individual differences in these systems is the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire. This thesis includes five studies with which we evaluate variance in the structural and functional brain according to the individual differences in Gray´s proposed systems´ sensitivity. Thus, the first two studies analyzed the relation between gray matter volume and the individual differences in the Sensitivity to Reward and Punishment subscales included in the aforementioned questionnaire. Sensitivity to Reward was inversely associated with gray matter volume in the dorsal striatum. Conversely, Sensitivity to Punishment was directly related to gray matter volume in the left amygdale and hippocampus. Furthermore, three functional studies analyzed brain activation associated with individual differences on Sensitivity to Reward scale. The first study showed that brain activity during appetitive emotional picture processing was associated with Sensitivity to Reward in the mesial prefrontal cortex and the adjacent rostral cingulate, while brain activation in the hippocampus/parahippocampus during aversive emotional picture processing was inversely related to Sensitivity to Reward. The second study revealed that Sensitivity to Reward was directly related to the mesial prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum, and inversely related to the right inferior prefrontal gyrus during the inhibitory control in approach-avoidance conflicts. The third study demonstrated that Sensitivity to Reward during cognitive and emotional interference tasks was related to brain activation in the rostral anterior cingulate during cognitive and emotional Stroop tasks. However, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation was directly related to Sensitivity to Reward during cognitive interference, and amygdale activation was inversely related to this variable during emotional interference. Briefly, individual differences in brain structure and function may be associated with system-related personality traits according to the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory.

Ésta investigación tuvo como objetivo principal correlacionar la alexitimia y las conductas impulsivas en una muestra de adolescentes escolares de la Provincia de Ilo, y, además, establecer comparaciones según el sexo. Los participantes fueron adolescentes (53% hombres y 47% mujeres) entre los 13 y 18 años de edad, a quienes se les administró la Escala de Alexitimia de Toronto (1994) y el Inventario de Impulsividad de Dickman (1990). Los resultados indican que existe correlación entre la alexitimia y la impulsividad disfuncional. Se halló que dificultad para reconocer los sentimientos (rs =.36) y el pensamiento operatorio (rs =.41) correlacionaron de manera directa y moderada con la impulsividad disfuncional. Además, la dificultad para describir los sentimientos correlacionó de manera directa y baja con la impulsividad disfuncional (rs= 27) y de forma inversa y baja con la impulsividad funcional (rs= -.19). Finalmente, se halló mayor dificultad para describir y reconocer los sentimientos en las mujeres, y mayor impulsividad funcional en los hombres. / The objective of this research was to analyze the relationship between alexithymia and impulsive behaviors in a sample of school adolescents from Ilo, as well as to establish comparisons according to gender. The participants were adolescents (53% men and 47% women) between 13 and 18 years old, who were administered the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (1994) and the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (1990). The results indicate that there is a correlation between alexithymia and dysfunctional impulsivity. Difficulty recognizing feelings (rs = .36) and the operative thinking (rs = .41) correlated directly and moderately with with dysfunctional impulsivity. In addition, the difficulty in describing feelings correlated directly and low with dysfunctional impulsivity (rs = 27) and inversely and low with functional impulsivity (rs = -.19). Finally, it was found more difficult to describe and recognize feelings in women, and greater functional impulsivity in men. / Tesis