Author Contributions (CRediT) Policy

The International Journal of Psychology and Therapy (IJPT) adopts the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) to ensure transparent, standardised, and accountable reporting of individual author contributions. In alignment with international best practices and the expectations of indexing systems such as Scopus and the Web of Science, this policy requires all submitting authors to clearly specify the role of each contributor in the research and manuscript preparation process. The CRediT framework enhances research integrity, prevents authorship disputes, and promotes recognition of diverse scholarly contributions.

Purpose and Scope

The CRediT taxonomy provides a structured approach to defining author roles across the lifecycle of a research project. IJPT mandates that all manuscripts include a dedicated “Author Contributions” section, outlining the specific roles performed by each listed author. This ensures clarity in responsibility, facilitates accountability, and aligns with global standards for ethical authorship. The policy applies to all article types, including original research, review articles, and theoretical papers.

Authorship Criteria and Responsibility

Authorship in IJPT is limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the work. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the research. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged separately. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that contribution statements are accurate, complete, and agreed upon by all co-authors at the time of submission.

CRediT Contributor Roles

The following table outlines the standard CRediT roles adopted by IJPT:

Role	Description
Conceptualisation	Formulation of research goals, aims, and hypotheses
Methodology	Development of study design, procedures, and methods
Software	Programming, software development, or tool creation
Validation	Verification of results and reproducibility checks
Formal Analysis	Application of statistical or analytical techniques
Investigation	Data collection, experimentation, or fieldwork
Resources	Provision of study materials, participants, or data
Data Curation	Data management, cleaning, and organisation
Writing – Original Draft	Preparation of the initial manuscript
Writing – Review & Editing	Critical revision and intellectual refinement
Visualisation	Creation of figures, charts, or visual data presentation
Supervision	Oversight and leadership of the research project
Project Administration	Management and coordination of research activities
Funding Acquisition	Securing financial support for the project

Reporting Format

Authors must clearly assign one or more roles to each contributor using their initials or full names. For example:
“A.B.: Conceptualisation, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft; C.D.: Data Curation, Formal Analysis; E.F.: Supervision, Review & Editing.”
This structured reporting ensures transparency and allows readers, reviewers, and indexing bodies to understand the specific contributions of each author.

Transparency and Ethical Compliance

The inclusion of a CRediT statement enhances transparency and reduces the risk of ghost authorship, guest authorship, or undisclosed contributions. IJPT reserves the right to request clarification or documentation if authorship contributions are unclear or disputed. Any misrepresentation of contributions may be treated as a breach of publication ethics and handled accordingly.

Alignment with Global Standards

By adopting the CRediT taxonomy, IJPT aligns with international publishing practices and strengthens its compliance with the requirements of major indexing databases. This approach supports accurate attribution, improves research visibility, and enhances the credibility of the journal within the global academic community.

Through this policy, IJPT promotes responsible authorship practices and ensures that all contributors receive appropriate recognition for their scholarly work.