Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

The International Journal of Psychology and Therapy (IJPT) recognises the rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in research, writing, and scholarly communication. In alignment with international publishing standards and the expectations of indexing systems such as Scopus and the Web of Science, the journal establishes this policy to ensure the ethical, transparent, and responsible use of AI tools in the preparation and evaluation of manuscripts. This policy aims to preserve academic integrity while acknowledging the potential benefits of AI-assisted research practices.

Scope and Purpose

This policy applies to all participants in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, and editors. It outlines acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI tools, including generative AI systems, automated writing assistants, data analysis tools, and image generation software. IJPT encourages innovation while ensuring that human accountability, originality, and scholarly responsibility remain central to all academic contributions.

Use of AI by Authors

Authors may use AI tools for limited and supportive purposes, such as language editing, grammar correction, or improving readability. However, AI must not be used to generate substantive intellectual content, including research ideas, data interpretation, results, or conclusions, without proper oversight and verification. Any use of AI tools in the preparation of a manuscript must be clearly disclosed in a dedicated section (e.g., “AI Use Disclosure”) within the manuscript. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work, regardless of any AI assistance used.

Authorship and Accountability

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors, as they do not meet the criteria for authorship, including accountability, responsibility, and the ability to respond to scholarly critique. All listed authors must have made substantial intellectual contributions to the work and must take full responsibility for the content. The use of AI does not diminish the accountability of human authors for ethical compliance, data accuracy, and originality.

Prohibited Uses of AI

The journal strictly prohibits the use of AI for generating fabricated data, manipulating images, producing misleading or plagiarised content, or bypassing ethical research standards. Submission of AI-generated content presented as original research without disclosure is considered academic misconduct and may result in rejection, retraction, or other corrective actions. Authors must ensure that AI tools are not used in ways that compromise the authenticity or reliability of the research.

Use of AI in Peer Review and Editorial Processes

Reviewers and editors must not upload confidential manuscript content to AI tools or platforms that may compromise data security or confidentiality. The use of AI in the peer review process should be limited and must not replace independent scholarly judgement. All evaluations must be conducted with intellectual integrity, ensuring that decisions are based on academic merit and not automated outputs.

Transparency and Disclosure

Transparency is a fundamental requirement of this policy. Authors must clearly state whether AI tools were used and describe the extent and purpose of such use. This disclosure allows editors, reviewers, and readers to assess the role of AI in the research process and ensures accountability in scholarly communication.

Compliance and Ethical Standards

IJPT’s AI policy is aligned with emerging global standards in academic publishing and reflects the evolving ethical considerations surrounding AI technologies. The journal will periodically review and update this policy to address new developments in the field. Non-compliance with this policy may result in manuscript rejection, publication correction, or retraction, in accordance with the journal’s ethical guidelines.

Through this policy, IJPT seeks to balance innovation with responsibility, ensuring that the integration of AI in research supports, rather than undermines, the integrity and credibility of scholarly publishing.