The International Journal of Psychology and Therapy (IJPT) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, objectivity, and integrity in scholarly publishing. In accordance with internationally recognised ethical guidelines and the expectations of indexing systems such as Scopus and the Web of Science, the journal requires full disclosure of any competing interests that may influence the research process, interpretation of findings, or editorial decision-making. This policy applies to all participants in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, and editors, ensuring that potential biases are identified and appropriately managed.

Definition of Competing Interests

Competing interests, also referred to as conflicts of interest, arise when personal, financial, professional, or institutional relationships have the potential to influence an individual’s judgement or actions. These may include, but are not limited to, research funding, employment affiliations, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, patents, advisory roles, or close academic collaborations. Even perceived conflicts that could affect impartiality must be disclosed to maintain the credibility and transparency of the scholarly record.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are required to provide a clear and complete declaration of any competing interests at the time of manuscript submission. This declaration must be included within the manuscript under a dedicated “Competing Interests” section. If no conflicts exist, authors must explicitly state: “The authors declare no competing interests.” Full disclosure ensures that readers, reviewers, and editors can evaluate the research in an informed and transparent context. Failure to disclose relevant competing interests may compromise the integrity of the publication and lead to corrective actions.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in ensuring the objectivity of the peer review process. They must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could affect their impartial evaluation of a manuscript. Such conflicts may include personal relationships with the authors, institutional affiliations, or competitive academic interests. Reviewers are expected to decline review invitations if they believe that their objectivity may be compromised. Maintaining transparency in the review process is essential to upholding the credibility and fairness of editorial decisions.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for managing the peer review process in a fair and unbiased manner. They must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a competing interest, whether financial, professional, or personal. In such cases, the manuscript will be reassigned to another qualified editor to ensure an impartial review process. Editors must also ensure that all disclosed conflicts are appropriately documented and considered during decision-making.

Disclosure and Transparency

All declared competing interests are reviewed by the editorial team and, where relevant, may be published alongside the article to ensure transparency for readers. This practice aligns with international publishing standards and promotes trust in the integrity of the research. IJPT encourages proactive disclosure, recognising that transparency strengthens the credibility of both the authors and the journal.

Consequences of Non-Disclosure

Failure to disclose relevant competing interests constitutes a breach of ethical publishing standards. Depending on the severity of the omission, actions may include manuscript rejection, publication of corrections, article retraction, or notification to the author’s affiliated institution. These measures are implemented in accordance with established ethical guidelines to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

Through this policy, IJPT ensures that all research is evaluated and published in a transparent, unbiased, and ethically responsible manner, reinforcing its commitment to high-quality academic publishing in the field of psychology and technology.