Complementary and alternative therapies have reported relevant benefits in three health spheres: physical, mental, and social.

However, some of the underlying mechanisms why these therapies work are still unknown or poorly understood. Therefore, researchers in the field of complementary and alternative therapies have the challenge of not only studying the effects of these therapies but to deeply understand why benefits are occurring. For this purpose, high quality studies under a physiological and behavioral approach are needed. These studies would allow to determine the mechanisms that make some complementary and alternative therapies achieve beneficial results in special populations. This is one of the challenges of complementary and alternative fields since low quality research is often presented.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to collate original research and review articles with a focus on the mechanisms underlying the benefits that these therapies can induce. Furthermore, this Special Issue is also focused on novel integrative interventions using complementary therapies which have evaluated physiological or behavioral variables. Furthermore, cross-sectional studies that correlate physiological and behavioral, study protocols or systematic review and meta-analysis are also welcomed.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Acute effects of complementary and alternative therapies on physiological variables
• Systematic reviews and meta-analysis comprising physiological variables
• Effects of complementary and alternative therapy on psychophysiological variables
• Effects of creative arts therapy on psychophysiological and behavioral variables
• Effects of animal-assisted therapies on psychophysiological and behavioral variables
• Physiological and psychosocial benefits of complementary therapies in mental health disorders
• Underlying mechanisms complementary and alternative therapies in people with disabilities
• Study protocols incorporating behavioral and physiological variables in complementary and alternative therapies
• Acute effects of complementary and alternative therapies on behavioral variables
• Relationship between physiological and behavioral mechanisms in complementary and alternative therapies