171065 20260505142650.0 doi 10.1007/s12671-026-02825-7 sideral 149180 ART-2026-149180 eng Lamas-Morales, Paulina Universidad de Zaragoza Effectiveness of deconstructive meditative practices in improving mental health and well-being: a systematic review 2026 Objectives Deconstructive meditative practices (DMPs) aim to transform the perception of the self by fostering an understanding of its constructed and impermanent nature through self-inquiry. This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of DMPs in improving mental health and psychological well-being among adults. Method Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science until October 2025. Eligible studies included randomized and non-randomized trials of DMPs (e.g., Vipassana and insight meditation). The primary outcomes addressed mental health and psychological well-being, while secondary outcomes included psychological processes related to DMPs, such as mindfulness, emotion regulation, and detachment. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools. Results Eighteen studies (n = 2457) met the inclusion criteria. Most reported significant improvements in depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological well-being, although findings varied depending on study design and intervention characteristics. Mindfulness, non-attachment, and insight were identified as possible mechanisms of change. Preliminary patterns suggest that variability in effects may be partially explained by contextual factors such as intervention duration and type of design. However, methodological heterogeneity and the limited number of randomized controlled trials limit the generalizability of the results. Conclusions The results suggest that DMPs may be effective in improving mental health and psychological well-being. The methodological quality of studies needs to be improved to strengthen the evidence and inform clinical applications. This review can serve as a guide to drive future studies on DMPs. Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion García-Rubio, Carlos Beltrán-Ruiz, María Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-0786-535X Barceló-Soler, Alberto Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-2116-9257 López-Del-Hoyo, Yolanda Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-1690-4130 García-Campayo, Javier Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-3797-4218 4009 730 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Psicología y Sociología Área Psicología Básica 1007 745 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Medicina, Psiqu. y Derm. Area Psiquiatría 4009 735 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Psicología y Sociología Área Psicolog.Evolut.Educac (2026), [18 pp.] Mindfulness Mindfulness 1868-8527 946500 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/171065/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2156081 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/171065/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:171065 articulos driver 2026-05-05-13:36:56 ARTICLE