Universidade de Lisboa

The CIPER Self-Regulation research group, based at the Faculdade de Motricidade Humana (Faculty of Human Kinetics), focuses on behavioural and psychosocial aspects of physical activity and exercise, nutrition and eating behaviour, and obesity/weight control with four main lines of research: 1) Motivational and self-regulatory determinants of health-related behaviours such as physical activity, healthy eating, nature immersion and contemplative practices; 2) The association of physical activity and physical fitness with mental health, with an emphasis on determinants and mechanisms underlying depressive symptomatology; 3) Behavior change interventions with an impact on health and well-being, focusing on physical activity, eating behaviour, weight management, and nature-related behaviours; 4) The experience of altered states of consciousness and the adoption and regulation of behaviours such as physical activity, eating, nature immersion, and contemplative practices.

Currently, the team is conducting several observational studies investigating the relationships between psychedelic substance use and health behaviours:

• Attitudes Towards Psychedelic Therapy in Portuguese Mental Health Professionals.
• Psychedelic Practitioners and Health Behavior Change.
• Prevalence and Characteristics of Spontaneous Behaviour Change as a Consequence of Psychedelic Experiences.
• A Comparison of Ayahuasca / Psychedelic Users and the Portuguese General Population on Physical and Mental Public Health Markers.
• Systematic Review: Effects of Psychedelic Experiences in Naturalistic Settings.