Instructions for Authors

Comprehensive guidelines for preparing and submitting psychotherapy research manuscripts to IJPPR.

IJPPR publishes several article formats, each with specific requirements tailored to its purpose and expected contribution to psychotherapy knowledge and clinical practice in mental health.

Organize original psychotherapy research manuscripts following standard scientific format. Clear structure enhances readability and facilitates peer review of mental health clinical research.

• Title page: Concise title (maximum 150 characters), all author names and affiliations, corresponding author contact, word count, and conflict of interest disclosures
• Abstract: Structured format with background, methods, results, and conclusions. Include 3-6 keywords from psychological subject headings for indexing
• Introduction: Background context, research question rationale, and study objectives for psychotherapy investigation
• Methods: Detailed methodology enabling replication, including therapeutic protocols, participant populations, statistical approaches, and ethics approvals
• Results: Objective findings without interpretation, organized logically with supporting tables and figures for clinical data
• Discussion: Interpretation of findings, comparison with existing psychotherapy literature, limitations, and clinical practice implications
• References: APA style, consistent format throughout manuscript with proper citation of psychotherapy sources

Proper formatting ensures consistent presentation and efficient processing of psychotherapy manuscripts through the production workflow.

All psychotherapy research involving human subjects must comply with established ethical standards. Authors bear responsibility for ensuring appropriate approvals and consents for clinical research.

• Institutional review board or ethics committee approval required for human subjects psychotherapy research
• Informed consent documentation for therapy participants and clinical data use
• Clinical trial registration in public registries for interventional psychotherapy studies before enrollment
• Complete conflict of interest disclosure for all authors and funding sources
• Protection of client confidentiality with appropriate de-identification of case material

IJPPR requires adherence to appropriate EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines based on psychotherapy study design. These standards ensure completeness and transparency in mental health research reporting.

• CONSORT: Randomized clinical trials evaluating psychotherapy interventions and therapeutic outcomes
• STROBE: Observational psychotherapy studies including cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional designs
• PRISMA: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of psychotherapy and mental health literature
• CARE: Clinical psychotherapy case reports with therapeutic significance
• CHEERS: Health economic evaluations of psychotherapy interventions

Use APA style for psychotherapy references. Include DOIs where available. Cite published peer-reviewed articles wherever possible for clinical context. Verify all reference accuracy before submission.

Journal article example: Smith, A. B., & Jones, C. D. (2023). Effectiveness of brief therapy in anxiety disorders. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45(3), 234-241. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx

Book chapter example: Wilson, E. F. (2022). Cognitive-behavioral techniques. In A. Editor (Ed.), Handbook of psychotherapy (5th ed., pp. 123-145). Psychology Press.

All listed authors must meet ICMJE authorship criteria for psychotherapy publications: substantial contribution to conception, data acquisition, or analysis; drafting or critical revision; final approval; and accountability for the work. Contributors not meeting criteria should be acknowledged.

All psychotherapy submissions undergo rigorous peer review by at least two qualified reviewers with relevant expertise in clinical psychology and therapeutic intervention. The review process evaluates scientific validity, methodological rigor, originality, and contribution to mental health knowledge. Authors receive detailed feedback with constructive suggestions for manuscript improvement.

Submit manuscripts through our online ManuscriptZone system. The platform guides authors through required information and document uploads for psychotherapy submissions.

IJPPR aims for prompt publication of accepted psychotherapy research. Initial editorial decisions are typically provided within four weeks of submission. Accepted manuscripts proceed to production immediately upon final approval and payment of article processing charges. Most articles are published online within two weeks of production completion, with DOI assignment enabling immediate citation.

When revision is requested, authors should address all reviewer comments systematically with point-by-point responses. Highlight changes in the revised psychotherapy manuscript to facilitate re-review. Revisions are typically due within 30 days for minor revisions and 60 days for major revisions. Extensions may be requested through the editorial office.

Authors who discover errors in published psychotherapy articles should contact the editorial office promptly. Corrections are published as errata with links to the original article. Significant changes affecting conclusions may require formal correction notices or, in rare cases, retraction following COPE guidelines for mental health research.

For questions about submission requirements, manuscript preparation, or the review process for psychotherapy research, contact the editorial office at [email protected]. Our team responds within one business day to author inquiries and can provide guidance on formatting requirements and ethics compliance.