Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The International Journal of Psychology and Therapy (IJPT) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical publishing, transparency, and academic integrity. The journal strictly adheres to the guidelines and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and aligns its editorial policies with internationally recognised standards required by leading indexing databases, including Scopus and the Web of Science.

IJPT ensures that all stages of the publication process, including submission, peer review, editorial decision-making, and post-publication corrections, are conducted with fairness, accountability, and scholarly rigour.

COPE Compliance

IJPT explicitly follows the ethical guidelines and flowcharts provided by COPE for handling publication misconduct, authorship disputes, corrections, and retractions. All stakeholders, including authors, editors, and reviewers, are expected to adhere to these internationally recognised ethical standards.

Duties of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to IJPT must ensure that:

  • The work is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere
  • All sources are properly cited, and plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited
  • Data presented are accurate, authentic, and not fabricated or manipulated
  • All listed authors have made substantial intellectual contributions
  • Any conflicts of interest (financial, institutional, or personal) are clearly disclosed
  • The manuscript has been approved by all co-authors prior to submission

Human and Animal Ethics

For research involving human participants or animals:

  • Authors must provide evidence of approval from a recognised ethics committee
  • Informed consent must be obtained from participants
  • Confidentiality and anonymity of participants must be strictly maintained
  • Studies must comply with international ethical standards (e.g., Declaration of Helsinki)

Data Fabrication, Falsification, and Image Manipulation

IJPT maintains zero tolerance for:

  • Data fabrication (making up data)
  • Data falsification (manipulating research findings)
  • Misrepresentation of results
  • Image manipulation that alters scientific meaning

Any such misconduct will lead to immediate rejection or retraction, and further action may be taken against the authors.

AI Usage and Disclosure Policy

With the increasing use of artificial intelligence tools:

  • Authors must clearly disclose any use of AI tools (e.g., for writing, data analysis, or image generation)
  • AI tools must not be listed as authors
  • Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the content
  • AI-generated content must not compromise scientific validity or ethical standards

Failure to disclose AI usage may be treated as ethical misconduct.

Duties of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • Making decisions based solely on academic merit, originality, and relevance
  • Ensuring a fair, unbiased, and timely review process
  • Maintaining strict confidentiality of submitted manuscripts
  • Avoiding conflicts of interest in editorial decisions
  • Taking appropriate action in cases of suspected misconduct

Editors do not discriminate based on authors’ nationality, gender, institutional affiliation, or personal beliefs.

Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations
  • Maintain confidentiality of all submitted materials
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest
  • Evaluate manuscripts based on scientific quality, methodology, and relevance
  • Avoid using unpublished material for personal benefit

Handling of Ethical Misconduct

IJPT follows a structured and transparent process for handling ethical concerns:

Investigation Process:

  1. Initial assessment by the editorial office
  2. Collection of evidence (plagiarism reports, data verification, etc.)
  3. Communication with the authors for explanation
  4. Review by editorial board if required

Possible Actions:

  • Manuscript rejection
  • Request for revision or clarification
  • Publication of correction or erratum
  • Retraction of published article
  • Notification to authors’ institutions or funding bodies

All investigations are conducted confidentially and fairly, following COPE guidelines.

Retraction and Correction Policy

  • Articles may be retracted in cases of serious misconduct, unreliable data, or ethical violations
  • Minor errors may be corrected through errata or corrigenda
  • Retraction notices will remain permanently linked to the original article

Final Statement

Through these comprehensive ethical policies, IJPT is committed to fostering a transparent, responsible, and credible academic publishing environment. The journal aims to uphold the integrity of the scholarly record and contribute to the advancement of ethical research practices globally.