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Marcelo Demarzo

39 papers in the library · 658 citations · publishing 2014-2026

Papers

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Rethinking Practice in Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Theoretical Model of How Formal Practice, Informal Practice, Practice Quality, and Dispositional Mindfulness Interact Over Time

Qeios September 30, 2026 Marcelo Demarzo

Research on mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) has consistently framed home practice as a central therapeutic ingredient. Nevertheless, the empirical literature remains heterogeneous regarding the amount of practice participants complete, the strength and consistency of associations between practice time and outcomes, and the relative contribution of formal versus informal practice....

Mindfulness in the Brazilian National Health System (SUS): Why Training Instructors Is Not Expensive but Strategic and Cost-Effective

Qeios August 31, 2026 Marcelo Demarzo

BACKGROUND: It is often argued that training mindfulness instructors would be too expensive to be feasible within a public health system such as Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS). This essay challenges that perception by combining epidemiological estimates, cost analysis, and evidence from national and international experiences. METHODS: Using population-based planning benchmarks, we...

EEG signatures of mindfulness-based artistic–contemplative sound interventions: a pilot study on aesthetic states of consciousness

Frontiers in Psychology July 28, 2026 Hercules Morais, Débora Regina de Aguiar, Matheus Hissa Lourenço Ferreira et al.

BackgroundMindfulness-based artistic–contemplative interventions, including auditory “sound pills,” have increasingly been investigated using neurophysiological measures such as electroencephalography (EEG) to promote psychological well-being and attentional regulation. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these interventions remain poorly understood.MethodsThis pilot,...

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1846392 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Mindfulness Aesthetic experience Artistic interventions Contemplative neuroscience +2

Implementation and effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for mild depression in primary care: Protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster RCT

SSM - Mental Health June 16, 2026 Caroline Krauser, Eduardo Jardim Simões, Chester Schmaltz et al.

Depressive and anxiety symptoms are one of the leading causes of years lived with disability worldwide. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to be one of the proven treatments for improving mild and moderate cases of depression and anxiety. However, there is still a gap regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of MBIs in the real world, especially in low- and middle-income...

Have Children Lost a Natural Training Ground for Attention? Manual Activities, Embodied Cognition, and the Expression of ADHD Symptoms

Qeios May 4, 2026 Marcelo Demarzo preprint

The increasing prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been attributed to multiple factors, including improved diagnosis, genetic predisposition, and environmental influences. One underexplored contributing factor is the systematic decline of manual, embodied activities in childhood. This perspective proposes that activities such as handwriting, drawing, crafting, and...

Mindfulness breve y salud mental en personas expuestas a eventos estresantes recientes: Un ensayo controlado aleatorizado con seguimiento después de 6 meses

Revista Interamericana de Psicología/Interamerican Journal of Psychology December 26, 2025 Felipe E. García, Cristian Joel Alvarado Cerna, Mariela Andrades et al.

Los acontecimientos estresantes afectan regularmente a las personas a lo largo de sus vidas. Las intervenciones basadas en mindfulness pueden utilizarse para prevenir las consecuencias negativas de estos acontecimientos. El presente estudio pretende evaluar el impacto de una intervención de mindfulness breve, midiendo sus efectos sobre la sintomatología depresiva, la satisfacción con la vida,...

Easing the burden: a pilot study on the impact of mindfulness on the mental health of Brazilian medical students.

BMC Medical Education August 1, 2025 Vinicius Vieira Neves, Daniel Teixeira Dos Santos, Marcelo Demarzo et al.

BACKGROUND: Mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are more prevalent in medical students than in the general population. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown evidence of effectiveness in treating these conditions. However, findings among medical students are mixed, particularly in Brazilian samples. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary...

Effects of mindfulness training on quality of life and well-being in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Aging & Mental Health April 12, 2025 Marcelo Vasconcelos Mapurunga, Daniela Rodrigues de Oliveira, Solange Andreoni et al. 5 citations

To investigate the effects of the Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion (MBHP) program on quality of life (QOL) and well-being in older adults compared to an active control group. A randomized controlled trial nested within a cohort study was conducted. Participants were allocated to either the MBHP intervention or an active control group (ACG) receiving computer-based cognitive stimulation....

Mindfulness enhancements predict aberrant salience reductions and improve stress management.

Discover Mental Health April 8, 2025 Isabel Wießner, Júlia Paula Souza, Marcelo Demarzo et al. 3 citations

Mindfulness improves mental health and clinical conditions including psychosis and modulates attentional processes including salience-the automatic direction of attention to prominent elements. Aberrant salience-the exaggerated significance attribution to perceived elements-is associated with psychotic experiences, but its interactions with mindfulness remain unexplored. This...

DOI: 10.1007/s44192-025-00179-5 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Aberrant salience Awareness Psychosis Stress management +9

Mindfulness and compassion-based programs on eating behavior of post-bariatric surgery patients: A two phased clinical trial protocol.

MethodsX August 9, 2024 Erika Blamires S Porto, Jesus Montero-Marin, Luiz Gustavo Quadros et al.

Introduction: Weight regain after bariatric surgery remains a relevant and worrisome topic, requiring greater understanding and involvement in research into new adjuvant treatments. This study aims to compare the preliminary effectiveness and feasibility of the Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion and Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy programs as opposed to usual treatments (workshops) on the...

DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102885 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Mindfulness Feeding behavior Weight gain Randomized controlled trial +2

Improving patient-centered mental health promotion in primary care in vulnerable communities through mindfulness training in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Frontiers in Medicine 2024 Débora Silva Teixeira, Sandra Fortes, Celia Kestenberg et al. 8 citations

Brazilian Primary Health Care (PHC) is responsible for all-sanitary actions for a community-based population, including health promotion and mental health care. Mindfulness Based Health Promotion (MBHP) is an intervention that can promote self-care and psychosocial support in PHC. To discuss the effects of mindfulness based psychosocial group interventions for health promotion in primary care...

An Overview of the Methods Used to Measure the Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Sleep-Related Outcomes.

Sleep Science December 1, 2023 Julia Ribeiro Da Silva Vallim, Gabriela Sant'Ana Lima, Gabriel Natan Pires et al.

Introduction Systematic reviews and metanalyses have shown that mindfulness-based interventions can have positive effects on health, such as reducing anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. However, their effect on sleep-related outcomes is not yet well established. Sleep can be assessed subjectively (questionnaires, sleep logs, self-reporting) and/or objectively (actigraphy, polysomnography,...

The Toronto Mindfulness Scale and the State Mindfulness Scale: psychometric properties of the Spanish versions.

Frontiers in Psychology 2023 Jaime Navarrete, Marta Fontana-Mcnally, Ariadna Colomer-Carbonell et al. 9 citations

The Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) and the State Mindfulness Scale (SMS) are two relevant self-report measures of state mindfulness. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal structure and to offer evidence of the reliability and validity of the Spanish versions of the TMS and SMS. Data from six distinct non-clinical samples in Spain were obtained. They responded to the TMS (n =...

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1212036 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Wlsmv Confirmatory factor analysis Omega-hierarchical Spanish validation +2

The impact of a brief mindfulness training on interoception: A randomized controlled trial

PLoS One September 7, 2022 Geissy Lainny de Lima-Araújo, Geovan Menezes de Sousa, Thatiane Aparecida Mendes et al. 64 citations

Interoception is a collection of different representations of signals originating within the body. The way of perceiving these signals seems to be related to both emotion regulation and dysregulation, and its dysfunction is implicated across a variety of affective disorders. There is a growing body of research investigating the relationship between mindfulness meditation practices and...

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273864 (opens in new tab) Mindfulness Interoception Randomized controlled trial Physical therapy +1

Comparative effects of abbreviated mindfulness or acupuncture protocols in Healthy People: a non-randomized feasibility study with one-month follow-up

Research, Society and Development June 21, 2022 Marcelo Vilela Machado João, Marcelo Demarzo, Ysao Yamamura et al. 2 citations

Background and aims: Evaluate the effects of the use of abbreviated mindfulness and acupuncture in healthy individuals, evaluating the levels of depression, anxiety, and life quality in an outpatient clinic of a Brazilian federal university. Methods: Comparison of two abbreviated interventions (mindfulness- and acupuncture-based) in a non-randomized pragmatic feasibility pilot study, with...

Mindfulness meditation training effects on quality of life, immune function and glutathione metabolism in service healthy female teachers: A randomized pilot clinical trial.

Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health October 21, 2021 Daniela Rodrigues de Oliveira, David Wilson, Fanny Palace-Berl et al.

Background: Despite the crucial role of educators in encourage students' academic learning, addressing educator stress inside the classroom remains a significant challenge in the educational context. Mindfulness Meditation training (MM) has been recommended as an environmental enrichment strategy in schools to help teachers cope with stress and cultivating a state of awareness in daily life....

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100372 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Stress Quality of life Inflammatory cytokines Teachers +2

Evaluation of Mindfulness State for the Students Using a Wearable Measurement System.

Journal of medical and biological engineering September 30, 2021 André Chiovato, Marcelo Demarzo, Pollyana Notargiacomo

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficiency of a methodology to measure the mindfulness state using a wearable device ("Cap") capable of monitoring students' levels of full attention by means of real-time measured heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: The device was developed to export the data to the user's smartphone via Bluetooth, which in...

DOI: 10.1007/s40846-021-00658-4 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Heart rate variability Internet of things Wearable device Mindfulness state

Mindfulness Training for Primary Care for Portuguese-Speaking Immigrants: A Pilot Study

Frontiers in Psychiatry September 9, 2021 Marcelo Trombka, Timothy B. Creedon, Marcelo Demarzo et al. 14 citations

Background: Portuguese-speaking immigrants are a growing underserved population in the Unites States who experience high levels of psychological distress and increased vulnerability to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Current evidence shows that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are effective to promote physical and mental health among educated English speakers;...

Mindfulness Training Improves Quality of Life and Reduces Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Among Police Officers: Results From the POLICE Study—A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Frontiers in Psychiatry February 26, 2021 Marcelo Trombka, Marcelo Demarzo, Daniel Fernando Campos et al.

Background: Police officers' high-stress levels and its deleterious consequences are raising awareness to an epidemic of mental health problems and quality of life (QoL) impairment. There is a growing evidence that mindfulness-based interventions are efficacious to promote mental health and well-being among high-stress occupations. Methods: The POLICE study is a multicenter randomized...

Protocol for a Nested Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of the Mindfulness Based Health Promotion Program on the Quality of Life of Older Adults Assisted in Primary Care-"The MBHP-Elderly Study".

Frontiers in Medicine November 30, 2020 Marcelo Vasconcelos Mapurunga, Solange Andreoni, Daniela Rodrigues de Oliveira et al.

Introduction: Population aging is a global phenomenon that has grown rapidly and progressively all over the world. Interventions that promote health must be studied and implemented to make the aging process be with quality of life. Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health conditions that compromise the quality of life on the elderly and it can cause damage to the autonomy and...

DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.563099 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Elderly Quality of life Health promotion source Mbhp +3

Terapia cognitiva baseada em mindfulness no atendimento clínico individual de depressão

SMAD Revista Eletrônica Saúde Mental Álcool e Drogas (Edição em Português) September 30, 2020 Nazaré de Oliveira Almeida, Marcelo Demarzo, Carmem Beatriz Neufeld 4 citations

Objetivo: estudo de casos múltiplos teve objetivo de avaliar a aplicabilidade do protocolo de grupo de um programa de 8 semanas de Terapia Cognitiva Baseada em Mindfulness adaptado para o atendimento clínico individual de pacientes com sintomas de depressão. Método: para o estudo de casos múltiplos, no qual 11 casos de pacientes com diagnósticode depressão leve à moderada submetidos à...

Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol.

BMJ Open October 8, 2019 Jesus Montero-Marin, Carlos Collado-Navarro, Mayte Navarro‐gil et al.

Introduction: Depressive, anxiety and adjustment disorders are highly prevalent among mental health outpatients. The lack of funding for mental health problems produces inefficient results and a high burden of disease. New cost-effective group interventions aimed at treating these symptoms might be an appropriate solution to reduce the healthcare burden in mental health units. Mindfulness-based...

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention in the Management of Musculoskeletal Pain in Nursing Workers.

Pain Management Nursing February 2019 Shirlene Aparecida Lopes, Bruna Pesce Vannucchi, Marcelo Demarzo et al.

Chronic pain is a prevalent disorder in nursing workers worldwide. Several studies have proposed measures to mitigate this critical scenario. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have been found to have promising results in the treatment of this disorder. To quantify the effectiveness of an adapted mindfulness program (AMP) in the management of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in nursing technicians...

Religiosity and Meditation Practice: Exploring Their Explanatory Power on Psychological Adjustment.

Frontiers in Psychology 2019 Jesus Montero-Marin, Maria C Perez-Yus, Ausiàs Cebolla et al.

There has been increased interest in the relationships between religiosity, meditation practice and well-being, but there is lack of understanding as to how specific religious components and distinct meditation practices could influence different positive and negative psychological adjustment outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the explanatory power of religious beliefs and the...

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00630 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Compassion meditation Focused attention Open monitoring Practice variables +3