Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
Arm 1: Healthy Adults (Single-Session Intervention)
Age 18 years or older at screening.
Sufficient ability to read and understand Spanish to follow study instructions and complete questionnaires.
Ability to engage in a brief guided interaction and complete self-report measures.
Able and willing to provide written informed consent.
---
Arm 2: Adults with DSM-5 Diagnosed Mental Disorder in Residential Care (4-hour Intervention)
Age 18 years or older at screening.
Currently residing in a participating long-term mental health residential care facility and expected to remain there for the duration of the intervention and post-assessment period.
Documented diagnosis of a mental disorder according to DSM-5 criteria, confirmed by the treating clinician.
Minimal clinical stability at baseline, defined as all of the following:
Clinically stable in the judgment of the treating clinician.
No requirement for acute psychiatric hospitalization or crisis intervention in the previous 4 weeks.
Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I) score between 3 and 5 inclusive during the 4 weeks prior to enrollment, indicating relative clinical stability.
Sufficient ability to understand spoken and written Spanish to participate in study procedures.
Ability to engage in guided interaction and provide feedback.
Able and willing to provide informed consent; when applicable, provision of legal guardian consent plus participant assent.
Willingness to participate in all study procedures.
---
Arm 3: Healthy Older Adults (≥65 Years; 4-hour Intervention)
Age 65 years or older at screening.
No self-reported diagnosis of a serious mental disorder (for example, psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder).
Sufficient ability to read and understand Spanish to participate in study procedures.
Adequate cognitive and communication abilities to engage in guided interaction and complete questionnaires.
Able and willing to provide written informed consent.
---
Exclusion criteria
Arm 1: Healthy Adults
Current acute medical or psychiatric condition that would compromise safe participation or data validity.
Moderate or high acute suicide or self-harm risk at screening.
Significant cognitive, communication, or comprehension impairment that would interfere with participation.
Explicit refusal to participate.
---
Arm 2: Adults with DSM-5 Diagnosed Mental Disorder in Residential Care
Current acute psychiatric decompensation requiring crisis-level care.
Moderate or high acute suicide or self-harm risk at screening or baseline.
High risk of clinically significant emotional harm from autobiographical life review, defined as treating clinician judgment that narrative or reminiscence work is contraindicated due to one or more of the following:
Severe clinical destabilization within the past 3 months.
Trauma-related re-experiencing symptoms.
Marked dissociative symptoms.
Inability to provide informed consent, with no legal representative available when required, or lack of participant assent when applicable.
Significant cognitive, communication, or comprehension impairment without available supports.
Explicit refusal to participate.
Imminent discharge or transfer that would prevent completion of the intervention or post-assessment.
---
Arm 3: Healthy Older Adults
Self-reported diagnosis of a serious mental disorder (for example, psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder).
Moderate or high acute suicide or self-harm risk at screening.
Current acute medical or psychiatric condition that would compromise safe participation.
Significant cognitive, communication, or comprehension impairment that would interfere with participation.
Explicit refusal to participate.
