Note to Authors.  These guidelines constitute the official manuscript preparation and submission requirements of the Journal. Authors are strongly advised to read the full text before preparing and submitting a manuscript. Manuscripts that do not conform to these instructions may be returned to authors without review or rejected at the editorial screening stage. The Editorial Office reserves the right to update these guidelines periodically; authors should always consult the most recent version available on the Journal's official submission portal.

1.1  Mission and Scientific Scope

Asian Journal of Cognitive Behavior Therapy is an international, peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to advancing rigorous, ethically conducted, and methodologically sound research across the cogntive therapiess. The Journal's mission is to disseminate high-quality empirical and theoretical knowledge that deepens understanding of human cognition, emotion, behavior, and well-being, and that informs evidence-based practice, clinical intervention, and public policy.

The Journal is committed to methodological transparency, reproducibility, open science practices, and the highest standards of research integrity. It welcomes submissions that employ quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods designs, and it particularly values work that advances theory, refines measurement, evaluates interventions, or synthesizes existing evidence in a manner that is generalizable and practically meaningful.

1.2  Article Types Published

The Journal considers the following categories of manuscripts for publication:

• Original Research Articles
• Systematic Reviews
• Meta-Analyses
• Narrative (Integrative) Reviews
• Short Communications and Brief Reports
• Case Reports (where clinically or scientifically relevant)
• Qualitative Research
• Experimental Research
• Clinical Studies
• Behavioral and Psychological Intervention Studies
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Longitudinal and Prospective Cohort Studies
• Scale Development and Validation Studies
• Psychometric and Measurement Studies
• Mixed-Methods Research

1.3  Disciplines and Subject Areas

The Journal invites submissions spanning the full breadth of the Cogntive Behavior Therapy.

Manuscripts that fall outside the Journal's stated scope, or that lack sufficient methodological rigor or scholarly significance, may be declined at the editorial screening stage without external review. Authors uncertain of fit are encouraged to submit a pre-submission inquiry to the Editorial Office.

 

2.  Manuscript Types and Word Limits

Word limits refer to the main body of the manuscript and exclude the title page, abstract, references, tables, figures, figure legends, and supplementary material unless otherwise stated. Authors should select the most appropriate manuscript category at submission. The Editorial Office may recategorize a manuscript where appropriate.

Manuscript Type	Word Limit (body)	Abstract	References	Tables + Figures
Original Research Article	5,000–8,000	150–250	≤ 60	≤ 6
Review Article (Narrative)	6,000–10,000	150–250	≤ 120	≤ 6
Systematic Review / Meta-Analysis	7,000–12,000	200–300	≤ 150	≤ 8
Brief Report / Short Communication	2,500–3,500	≤ 150	≤ 30	≤ 3
Case Study / Case Report	2,500–4,000	≤ 150	≤ 30	≤ 3
Commentary	1,500–2,500	Not required	≤ 20	≤ 1
Letter to the Editor	800–1,200	Not required	≤ 10	≤ 1

Note. Structured abstracts are required for Original Research Articles, Systematic Reviews, and Meta-Analyses. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses must adhere to PRISMA reporting standards, and the completed PRISMA checklist must be uploaded as supplementary material.

2.1  Supplementary and Ancillary Limits

• Figures: A maximum of six figures for empirical and review articles (eight for systematic reviews and meta-analyses). Additional figures may be relegated to supplementary material.
• Tables: Tables count toward the combined table-and-figure allowance. Large data tables should be provided as supplementary files.
• Supplementary material: There is no strict limit on supplementary files, but each must be cited in the main text (e.g., “Supplementary Table S1”) and clearly labeled.

 

3.  Manuscript Structure

Empirical manuscripts must follow the standardized structure below. Sections should appear in the order listed. Review and non-empirical article types may adapt the Method and Results sections as appropriate to their design, but must retain the declaration and reference sections.

1. Title Page

A separate, non-blinded page containing the full title, running head, all author names, affiliations, ORCID identifiers, corresponding author contact details, author contribution statement, and funding information. Submitted as a distinct file to preserve anonymity in the blinded manuscript.

2. Abstract

A concise, structured summary of the study (see Section 5), placed on its own page immediately following the title. Must be self-contained and free of citations and abbreviations.

3. Keywords

Three to six indexing terms placed directly beneath the abstract, selected to maximize discoverability (see Section 5.3).

4. Introduction

Establishes the research problem, its significance, and the rationale for the study. Ends with explicit aims, research questions, or hypotheses.

5. Literature Review

A focused synthesis of prior theoretical and empirical work situating the study within existing scholarship and identifying the gap the study addresses. May be integrated within the Introduction for shorter article types.

6. Method

A transparent and replicable account of participants, design, sampling, materials and measures, procedure, ethical safeguards, and the analytic strategy. Must provide sufficient detail for independent replication.

7. Results

An objective presentation of findings organized by research question or hypothesis, reporting descriptive and inferential statistics in APA style (see Section 7). Results are reported without interpretation.

8. Discussion

Interprets findings in relation to the aims, hypotheses, and existing literature, addressing convergences, divergences, and theoretical or clinical significance.

9. Conclusion

A succinct statement of the study's principal contribution and take-home message. Avoids overstatement beyond what the data support.

10. Practical Implications

Explicit, evidence-grounded implications for clinical practice, intervention, policy, or applied settings.

11. Limitations

A candid appraisal of methodological, sampling, measurement, and design constraints that qualify the findings.

12. Future Directions

Specific, actionable recommendations for subsequent research arising from the study.

13. Conflict of Interest

A declaration of any financial or non-financial competing interests, or an explicit statement of their absence (see Section 14).

14. Funding Statement

Identification of all funding sources and grant numbers, or a statement that no funding was received.

15. Author Contributions

A description of each author's contribution using the CRediT taxonomy (see Section 14.3).

16. Data Availability Statement

A statement describing whether and how the underlying data, code, and materials may be accessed.

17. Ethical Approval Statement

Identification of the approving ethics body and approval reference number, and confirmation of informed consent (see Section 9).

18. References

A complete, APA 7th edition reference list containing only sources cited in the text (see Section 12).

19. Tables

Each table on its own page after the references, numbered consecutively and formatted per Section 8.

20. Figures

High-resolution figures with captions, following the tables and formatted per Section 8.

21. Supplementary Material

Ancillary files (datasets, instruments, PRISMA checklists, extended analyses) referenced in the main text.

 

4.  Title Page Requirements

The title page must be submitted as a separate file to preserve double-blind review. It must contain all identifying information and none of it may appear in the main manuscript file. The following elements are mandatory:

• Full manuscript title. Concise, informative, and free of abbreviations; ideally no more than 15 words. It should convey the population, key variables, and, where appropriate, the design.
• Running title (running head). A shortened version of the title, no more than 50 characters including spaces, for use as a page header.
• Full author names. Each author's full first name, middle initial(s), and surname, listed in the agreed order of authorship.
• Institutional affiliations. Complete affiliation for each author (department, institution, city, country), linked to authors by superscript numerals.
• ORCID identifiers. A valid 16-digit ORCID iD is required for the corresponding author and strongly recommended for all co-authors.
• Corresponding author details. Full name, postal address, institutional email address, and a valid telephone number for the designated corresponding author.
• Author contribution statement. A CRediT-based description of each author's role (may be placed here or in the declarations).
• Funding information. All sources of financial support and associated grant or award numbers, or a statement that no funding was received.
• Word count. Separate word counts for the abstract and the main body.

The main (blinded) manuscript must not contain author names, affiliations, acknowledgements, funding details, or self-identifying citations phrased in the first person (e.g., replace “as we previously demonstrated” with a neutral third-person citation). Self-citations should be worded to avoid revealing author identity.

 

5.  Abstract Guidelines

The abstract is the most widely read component of a published article and a primary determinant of indexing and discoverability. Original Research Articles, Systematic Reviews, and Meta-Analyses require a structured abstract of 150–250 words (200–300 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses). The abstract must be self-contained, contain no citations or undefined abbreviations, and accurately reflect the manuscript.

5.1  Required Structured Headings

• The context, problem, and rationale motivating the study, stated in one to two sentences.
• The specific aim(s), research question(s), or hypothesis(es) of the study.
• The design, participants and sampling, key measures, and analytic approach.
• The principal findings, including key effect sizes and statistical outcomes where space permits.
• The central interpretation and its theoretical, clinical, or applied significance.

5.2  Abstract Formatting

• Word limit: 150–250 words (200–300 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses).
• Written in the past tense for completed work and in a single paragraph unless structured headings are used.
• No references, footnotes, tables, figures, or undefined abbreviations.

5.3  Keywords

Provide three to six keywords immediately below the abstract, separated by commas. Keywords should follow recognized indexing standards (e.g., APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms and MeSH where applicable), avoid repeating words from the title where possible, and maximize the retrievability of the article. Example:

Keywords: depression, cognitive behavioral therapy, randomized controlled trial, emotion regulation, adolescents

 

6.  APA 7th Edition Formatting Rules

All manuscripts must conform to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition). The following requirements apply to every submission.

6.1  Page and Document Setup

• Font: Times New Roman 12 pt throughout the body (11 pt Calibri or Arial are acceptable alternatives if consistently applied). Tables and figures may use a sans-serif font no smaller than 8 pt.
• Spacing: Double-spacing throughout, including the abstract, body, references, table notes, and figure captions.
• Margins: One inch (2.54 cm) on all four sides.
• Alignment: Left-aligned (ragged right); do not use full justification. Do not hyphenate words at line breaks.
• Indentation: First line of every paragraph indented 0.5 in (1.27 cm) using the tab key or paragraph settings, not spaces.
• Page numbers: Placed in the top right corner of every page.
• Line numbering: Continuous line numbers are required in the submitted manuscript to facilitate review.

6.2  Heading Levels (APA Style)

Level	Format
Level 1	Centered, Bold, Title Case Heading
Level 2	Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading
Level 3	Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading
Level 4	Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line.
Level 5	Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line.

6.3  In-Text Citations

• Parenthetical: (Author, Year) — e.g., (Beck & Clark, 2019).
• Narrative: Author (Year) — e.g., Beck and Clark (2019) argued that…
• Direct quotation: Include the page number — (Beck & Clark, 2019, p. 42). Quotations of 40 or more words are set as a freestanding block indented 0.5 in, without quotation marks.
• Three or more authors: Cite the first author followed by “et al.” from the first citation — (Williams et al., 2021).

6.4  DOI and URL Formatting

• Present DOIs as full hyperlinks: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxxx.
• Do not precede a DOI with the label “doi:” and do not add a period after the DOI or URL.
• Where a DOI exists, it must be included; retrieval dates are omitted unless the source is designed to change over time.

6.5  Reference List Formatting

• Begin the reference list on a new page titled “References” (centered, bold).
• Double-spaced, with a hanging indent of 0.5 in for each entry.
• Ordered alphabetically by the surname of the first author; multiple works by the same author ordered chronologically.
• Only sources cited in the text appear in the reference list, and every reference must be cited.

6.6  Italics, Capitalization, and Style Conventions

• Italics: Used for the titles of books, periodicals, and reports; for statistical symbols (M, SD, t, F, p, r, N, n); for anchors of a scale; and for the first use of a key term.
• Capitalization: Use title case for article and book titles in the text but sentence case for article and chapter titles in the reference list. Capitalize nouns followed by numerals (e.g., Table 1, Figure 2, Experiment 3).
• Numbers: Spell out numbers below 10 and use numerals for 10 and above, with exceptions: use numerals for all numbers that immediately precede a unit of measurement, represent statistical or mathematical functions, denote time, dates, ages, sample sizes, or percentages.
• Quotations: Quotations of fewer than 40 words are enclosed in double quotation marks within the text; those of 40 or more words are formatted as block quotations.
• Abbreviations: Define each abbreviation at first use, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses; thereafter use the abbreviation consistently. Avoid abbreviations in the title and abstract.
• Decimals and p-values: Use a leading zero for values that can exceed 1 (e.g., 0.85 cm) and omit the leading zero for values that cannot exceed 1 (e.g., p = .03, r = .48). Report exact p-values to two or three decimals; use p < .001 for very small values.

 

7.  Statistical Reporting Standards

Statistical results must be reported completely, transparently, and in accordance with APA 7th edition conventions. Authors must report exact test statistics, degrees of freedom, exact p-values, and — wherever applicable — effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals. Reporting a p-value without an accompanying effect size is not acceptable.

7.1  General Requirements

• Report the statistical software and version used (e.g., IBM SPSS Statistics 29; R 4.3.2; Mplus 8.10).
• State the alpha level and whether tests were one- or two-tailed.
• Report effect sizes for all primary analyses (e.g., Cohen's d, Hedges' g, η², ω², r, R², OR).
• Report 95% confidence intervals for key estimates.
• Provide exact p-values (e.g., p = .012) rather than thresholds, except for values below .001 (report as p < .001).
• Check that reported degrees of freedom are consistent with sample sizes and design.

7.2  Reporting Conventions by Analysis

Analysis	APA-Style Reporting Example
t-test	t(120) = 2.45, p = .015, d = 0.44, 95% CI [0.09, 0.79]
ANOVA	F(2, 145) = 5.78, p = .004, η² = .07
MANOVA	Wilks' Λ = .84, F(4, 290) = 6.42, p < .001, η²p = .08
ANCOVA	F(1, 142) = 4.91, p = .028, η²p = .03 (covariate: baseline score)
Regression	β = .32, p < .001; R² = .27, F(3, 196) = 24.15, p < .001
Correlation	r(198) = .48, p < .001, 95% CI [.36, .58]
SEM	χ²(124) = 210.6, p < .001; CFI = .96; TLI = .95; RMSEA = .048; SRMR = .041
Mediation	Indirect effect ab = .18, 95% bootstrap CI [.09, .29] (5,000 resamples)
Moderation	Interaction: β = .21, t(196) = 3.04, p = .003, ΔR² = .04
Factor Analysis	KMO = .89; Bartlett's χ²(190) = 3,421.7, p < .001; factor loadings ≥ .40
Reliability	Cronbach's α = .87; McDonald's ω = .89
Chi-square	χ²(3, N = 240) = 12.84, p = .005, Cramér's V = .23

Note. Statistical symbols are italicized (t, F, p, r, R, M, SD, d, N, n). Greek letters (β, η, α, ω, χ, Λ) are not italicized. Report structural equation and confirmatory factor models with a full set of fit indices.

7.3  Effect Sizes and Confidence Intervals

Effect sizes convey the practical magnitude of findings and must accompany the results of all primary hypothesis tests. Confidence intervals should be reported for means, mean differences, correlations, regression coefficients, and indirect effects. Interpret effect sizes substantively rather than relying solely on statistical significance.

 

 

8.  Table and Figure Requirements

8.1  Tables

• Number tables consecutively with Arabic numerals in the order they are first cited in the text (Table 1, Table 2, …).
• Place a brief, italicized table title above the table, below the table number; the number is bold and the title is in title case.
• Use only horizontal borders (top and bottom of the table and beneath the column headings). Vertical lines are prohibited.
• Place explanatory notes below the table, ordered as general notes, specific notes, and probability notes (e.g., *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001).
• Every table must be cited in the text and be intelligible without reference to the body of the manuscript.
• Do not embed tables as images; provide them as editable text or in the native word-processing format.

8.2  Figures

• Number figures consecutively in the order of citation (Figure 1, Figure 2, …).
• Provide a bold figure number and an italicized figure title above the figure, with a legend or note beneath as required.
• Submit figures at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi for photographs and 600–1,200 dpi for line art.
• Preferred formats: TIFF, EPS, PDF, or high-resolution PNG; editable vector formats are strongly preferred for graphs and diagrams.
• Ensure all axis labels, legends, and text within figures are legible at final print size and use a consistent, accessible font.
• Use color deliberately and ensure figures remain interpretable in grayscale; avoid conveying information by color alone (colorblind-safe palettes).
• Obtain and document permission for any reproduced or adapted figures, and cite the source in the figure note.

 

 

9.  Ethical Requirements

The Journal upholds the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Compliance with the following requirements is mandatory; manuscripts lacking the required ethical documentation will not be considered.

• Ethics approval. All research involving human participants must have been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent research ethics committee prior to data collection.
• Approval number. The name of the approving body and the ethics approval reference number must be stated in the Method section and in the Ethical Approval Statement.
• Informed consent. A statement confirming that informed consent (and, for minors, parental or guardian consent and participant assent) was obtained from all participants is mandatory.
• Human subject protection. Authors must confirm that participants' rights, safety, and welfare were protected throughout the study.
• Authors must assure the confidentiality and anonymity of participant data and remove all identifying information from the manuscript and supplementary files.
• Clinical trial registration. Trials must be prospectively registered in a recognized public registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN, or a WHO primary registry), and the registration number and date must be reported.
• Animal research. Research involving animals must comply with applicable institutional and national guidelines (e.g., ARRIVE 2.0), and approval details must be provided.
• Vulnerable populations. Additional safeguards and their approval must be described for research involving vulnerable groups.

 

10.  Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

The Journal recognizes the growing use of generative artificial intelligence and AI-assisted technologies in research and writing. Consistent with the policies of leading international publishers and COPE guidance, the following requirements govern the use of such tools.

• Disclosure required. Authors must disclose any use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools in the preparation of the manuscript, specifying the tool, version, and purpose in the Methods or Acknowledgements.
• AI cannot be an author. AI tools do not satisfy the criteria for authorship and must not be listed as authors or co-authors, as they cannot take responsibility for the work or manage conflicts of interest.
• Author responsibility. Authors remain fully and solely responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content, including any portion produced with AI assistance.
• Permissible uses declared. The use of AI for language editing, readability improvement, or grammar correction must be declared where it materially shaped the text.
• Prohibited: fabricated references. The inclusion of AI-generated citations or references that are fabricated, inaccurate, or unverifiable is strictly prohibited and constitutes research misconduct.
• Prohibited: undisclosed AI-generated data. The generation or manipulation of data, results, or images using AI tools without full disclosure is prohibited.
• Peer review. Reviewers and editors may not upload manuscripts or any confidential material to generative AI systems, as doing so would breach confidentiality.

 

11.  Plagiarism and Research Integrity Policy

The Journal enforces a strict policy against plagiarism and all forms of research and publication misconduct. All submissions are screened using recognized similarity-detection software prior to review.

• Overall similarity index. A total similarity index below 15% is preferred; manuscripts exceeding this threshold may be returned or rejected.
• Single-source limit. Similarity to any single source should not exceed 2%, excluding correctly cited quotations and standard methodological phrasing.
• Mandatory screening. Plagiarism screening is compulsory for every manuscript at the initial editorial stage and again prior to acceptance.
• Self-plagiarism prohibited. The reuse of an author's own previously published text, data, or figures without proper citation and disclosure (text recycling) is prohibited.
• Duplicate publication prohibited. Manuscripts must not be under simultaneous consideration elsewhere, nor may they duplicate previously published work (redundant publication).
• Data and image integrity. Fabrication, falsification, and inappropriate manipulation of data or images constitute serious misconduct and will be handled in accordance with COPE flowcharts, including possible retraction and notification of the authors' institutions.
• Authorship integrity. Guest, gift, and ghost authorship are prohibited. All listed authors must meet substantive authorship criteria.

 

12.  Reference Guidelines (APA 7th Edition)

All references must conform to the APA 7th edition. The reference list is alphabetized by first-author surname, double-spaced, and formatted with a hanging indent. Representative examples follow; note that article and chapter titles use sentence case, whereas journal and book titles use title case and are italicized.

Journal article (with DOI)

Beck, A. T., & Clark, D. A. (2019). Anxiety and depression: An information processing perspective. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 57(3), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2019.03.004

Book

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Book chapter

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory in clinical settings. In J. W. Reich & F. J. Infurna (Eds.), Perceived control: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 245–268). Oxford University Press.

Website / online document

World Health Organization. (2022, March 2). Mental health and COVID-19: Early evidence of the pandemic's impact. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-Sci-Brief-Mental-health-2022.1

Conference paper / presentation

Nguyen, T. H., & Alvarez, M. (2021, August 12–14). Digital interventions for adolescent anxiety [Paper presentation]. International Congress of Behavioral Sciences, Vienna, Austria.

Thesis or dissertation

Okafor, C. N. (2020). Emotion regulation and academic burnout among university students [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Preprint

Silva, R. P., & Haddad, L. (2023). Loneliness and social media use in emerging adulthood: A meta-analysis. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/ab12cd

12.1  Author and et al. Rules

• One to twenty authors: List all authors in the reference entry, inserting an ampersand before the final author.
• Twenty-one or more authors: List the first 19 authors, insert an ellipsis, and add the final author's name.
• In-text, three or more authors: Use the first author's surname followed by “et al.” from the first citation (e.g., Williams et al., 2021).
• Two authors: Always cite both names, joined by “and” in narrative citations and “&” in parenthetical citations.

12.2  In-Text Citation Types

• Narrative citation: Beck and Clark (2019) demonstrated that…
• Parenthetical citation: …as demonstrated in prior research (Beck & Clark, 2019).
• Secondary citation: Where the original source is unavailable, cite it as reported in the secondary source — (Vygotsky, 1934, as cited in Wertsch, 1985) — and list only the secondary source in the reference list. Secondary citation should be minimized.

 

13.  Peer Review Process

The Journal operates a rigorous, double-blind peer-review process. Both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout. The typical trajectory of a submission is as follows:

1. Initial editorial screening. The Editor-in-Chief or a handling editor assesses the manuscript for scope, significance, and adherence to submission requirements.
2. Technical review. Editorial staff verify formatting, completeness of declarations, ethical documentation, and structural compliance.
3. Similarity check. The manuscript is screened with plagiarism-detection software; excessive similarity results in return or rejection.
4. Desk rejection (if applicable). Manuscripts that are out of scope, methodologically deficient, or non-compliant may be rejected without external review.
5. Double-blind peer review. At least two independent expert reviewers evaluate the manuscript's rigor, novelty, validity, and clarity.
6. Editorial decision. The handling editor integrates reviewer recommendations into a decision: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject.
7. Revision cycle. Authors submit a revised manuscript with a detailed point-by-point response to reviewers. Revised manuscripts may undergo further review.
8. Minor revision. Small, clearly specified changes; typically re-assessed by the handling editor.
9. Major revision. Substantive changes to analyses, framing, or interpretation; typically returned to the original reviewers.
10. Final acceptance. The editor confirms that all concerns have been resolved and the manuscript meets the Journal's standards.
11. Accepted manuscripts are copyedited for language, style, and APA conformity.
12. Proof approval. Authors review page proofs and approve final corrections within the stated deadline.
13. The article is assigned a DOI and published online, and subsequently allocated to an issue.

 

 

14.  Author Declarations

Every manuscript must include the following declarations at the end of the main text, preceding the reference list. Where a declaration does not apply, an explicit negative statement is required (e.g., “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”).

14.1  Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose all financial and non-financial relationships and activities that could be perceived to influence the work, or explicitly state that no competing interests exist.

14.2  Funding Statement

Identify all sources of funding, including grant numbers and the role (if any) of funders in the design, conduct, analysis, or reporting of the study, or state that the research received no specific funding.

14.3  Author Contributions (CRediT Taxonomy)

Describe each author's contribution using the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT), which includes the following roles:

• Conceptualization
• Data curation
• Formal analysis
• Funding acquisition
• Investigation
• Methodology
• Project administration
• Resources
• Software
• Supervision
• Validation
• Visualization
• Writing – original draft
• Writing – review & editing

14.4  Acknowledgements

Acknowledge non-author contributors (e.g., technical assistance, language editing, data collection support) with their permission. Do not include acknowledgements in the blinded manuscript.

14.5  Data Availability Statement

Provide a statement describing whether the data, analytic code, and materials underlying the study are available, where they may be accessed (e.g., an open repository with a DOI), and any conditions or restrictions on access.

14.6  Consent to Publish Statement

Where a manuscript contains identifiable individual data (including images, case details, or direct quotations), authors must confirm that written consent to publish was obtained from the individual(s) concerned.

 

 

15.  Pre-Submission Checklist for Authors

Before submitting, authors should confirm that every item below has been addressed. Manuscripts that fail to meet these requirements are likely to be delayed or returned.

15.1  Manuscript Formatting and Style

☐  The manuscript follows APA 7th edition style throughout.

☐  The font is Times New Roman 12 pt (or an approved equivalent) and applied consistently.

☐  The entire document is double-spaced with one-inch margins on all sides.

☐  Paragraphs use a 0.5-in first-line indent and text is left-aligned (not justified).

☐  Page numbers appear in the top right corner of every page.

☐  Continuous line numbers are included in the submitted manuscript.

☐  Heading levels follow the APA hierarchy correctly.

☐  The manuscript is within the word limit for its category.

15.2  Title, Abstract, and Keywords

☐  A separate title page contains all required identifying information.

☐  A running head of no more than 50 characters is provided.

☐  The blinded manuscript contains no author-identifying information.

☐  The abstract is structured and within the word limit (150–250 words).

☐  Three to six keywords following indexing standards are included.

☐  ORCID identifiers are provided for the corresponding author (and co-authors where possible).

15.3  Citations and References

☐  All in-text citations have a matching reference list entry.

☐  All reference list entries are cited in the text.

☐  References have been checked manually against the source records.

☐  References are formatted in APA 7th edition with hanging indents.

☐  DOIs are included as full hyperlinks wherever available.

☐  et al. and multiple-author rules have been applied correctly.

☐  Secondary citations are minimized and correctly formatted.

15.4  Method and Results

☐  The Method section provides sufficient detail for replication.

☐  Sampling, participants, measures, and procedure are fully described.

☐  The analytic strategy and statistical software (with version) are stated.

☐  Statistical results are reported in APA style with degrees of freedom.

☐  Exact p-values are reported (p < .001 used only for very small values).

☐  Effect sizes are reported for all primary analyses.

☐  95% confidence intervals are reported for key estimates.

☐  Reliability and validity evidence is reported for all measures.

15.5  Tables and Figures

☐  Tables are numbered consecutively and cited in the text.

☐  Tables use APA format with no vertical lines.

☐  Table titles appear above tables and notes appear below.

☐  Figures are numbered consecutively and cited in the text.

☐  Figures are at least 300 dpi and properly captioned.

☐  Figures are legible in grayscale and use colorblind-safe palettes.

☐  Permissions for reproduced tables or figures are documented.

15.6  Ethics, Integrity, and Declarations

☐  Ethical (IRB) approval is stated with the approving body and approval number.

☐  An informed consent statement is included.

☐  A clinical trial registration number is provided where applicable.

☐  Animal research complies with applicable guidelines where applicable.

☐  The similarity index is within acceptable limits (below 15%).

☐  A conflict of interest declaration is included.

☐  A funding statement is included.

☐  Author contributions are described using the CRediT taxonomy.

☐  A data availability statement is included.

☐  A consent-to-publish statement is included where identifiable data appear.

☐  Any use of AI or AI-assisted tools is disclosed.

15.7  Language and Final Checks

☐  The manuscript has been proofread and grammar-checked.

☐  The English is clear, professional, and free of typographical errors.

☐  Abbreviations are defined at first use and used consistently.

☐  Numbers, decimals, and statistical symbols follow APA conventions.

☐  All supplementary files are cited and correctly labeled.

☐  The cover letter and required declaration forms are attached.

☐  The manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere.

☐  All co-authors have approved the final version for submission.

 

 

16.  Common Reasons for Desk Rejection

To assist authors in avoiding avoidable rejections, the Editorial Office identifies the following as the most frequent grounds for desk rejection prior to or during review:

• Weak or flawed methodology. Inadequate design, insufficient sample size or power, uncontrolled confounds, or unvalidated measures.
• Insufficient novelty or contribution. The study does not meaningfully advance theory, evidence, or practice beyond existing literature.
• APA formatting errors. Pervasive non-compliance with APA 7th edition style, headings, citations, or reference formatting.
• Plagiarism or excessive similarity. A similarity index above acceptable thresholds, or evidence of text recycling or misconduct.
• Poor English or clarity. Language that impedes comprehension or evaluation of the scientific content.
• Unsupported conclusions. Interpretations or claims that exceed what the data and analyses can justify.
• Missing ethical approval. Absence of IRB approval details, informed consent, or required registration.
• Reference inconsistencies. Mismatches between in-text citations and the reference list, or incomplete references.
• Low scientific rigor. Insufficient transparency, non-reproducible procedures, or inadequate reporting of results.
• Inadequate statistical reporting. Missing degrees of freedom, exact p-values, effect sizes, or confidence intervals.
• Out of scope. Subject matter that falls outside the Journal's stated aims and disciplines.
• Incomplete submission. Missing declarations, title page elements, supplementary files, or required forms.