Journal of Pediatric Psychology is the scientific publication of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. As such, the Journal publishes articles related to theory, research, and professional practice in pediatric psychology. Pediatric psychology is an interdisciplinary field addressing physical, cognitive, social, and emotional functioning and development as it relates to health and illness issues in children, adolescents, and their families. The Journal publishes papers on a wide variety of topics exploring the relationship between psychological and physical well-being of children, adolescents, and their families including: psychosocial and developmental factors contributing to the etiology, course, treatment, and outcome of pediatric conditions; assessment and treatment of behavioral and emotional concomitants of disease, illness, and developmental disorders; the role of psychology in health care settings; behavioral aspects of pediatric medicine; the promotion of health and health-related behaviors; the prevention of illness and injury among children and youth; and issues related to the training of pediatric psychologists.
The main emphasis of the Journal is on original research. Analytical reviews of research, brief scientific reports, scholarly case studies, and comments to the editor will also be considered for publication. Articles are welcomed from authors in psychology and other disciplines serving children and families.
The JPP website includes book reviews and letters to the editor, in addition to general information on the journal.
Extended INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS can be found at http://www.oxfordjournals.org/jpepsy/for_authors/index.html
[Preparation | Cover Letter | Abstract and Key Words | Terminology | Ethical Standards | Tables and Figures | Copyright ]
Manuscripts should be submitted electronically at: http://jpepsy.manuscriptcentral.com/
Editor:Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D., ABPP
Journal of Pediatric Psychology
Dean and Professor of Public Health
Temple University
Health Sciences Center
College of Health Professions
3307 North Broad Street
300 Jones Hall (602-00)
Philadelphia, PA 19140
Preparation: Manuscripts should be prepared in full accord (i.e., text, headings, tables, figures, references, etc.) with the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (4th Ed.). The text should be double-spaced throughout, with at least one-inch margins and a font size of 12 point (or 26 lines per page, 12-15 characters per inch).
Because of the blind-review process, authors are requested to provide a separate title page listing the names, academic affiliations, and academic degrees of all authors, the full mailing address and e-mail address of the corresponding author, and any personal acknowledgements; authors are to avoid identifying information in the body of the manuscript.
The following guidelines on length should be observed: original research articles should not exceed 25 pages total, including title page, references, tables, figures (etc.); scholarly reviews should not exceed 30 pages total; case reports and brief scientific reports should not exceed 12 pages total, including a maximum of 2 tables or illustrations; and comments should not exceed 4 pages, including references; and letters to the Editor should not exceed 350 words.
Cover Letter: Submission is a representation that the manuscript (or the data) has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. In accord with APA policy, no manuscripts will be considered if they have been submitted simultaneously to or already accepted for publication in another journal, or the data have been reported elsewhere (except as an abstract). Authors should indicate in their cover letter that these conditions have been met. The relationship of the submitted manuscript with other publications of the author(s), if any, should be explained. In addition, the cover letter should contain a statement that the manuscript has been seen and approved by all authors. The full mailing address, phone number, telephone and fax number, as well as any e-mail address, of the corresponding author should be included.
Abstract and Key Words: Manuscripts must be accompanied by an abstract containing a maximum of 150 words. Abstracts must begin with a verb and be typed on a separate sheet of paper. Abstracts should also include the following parts: Objective, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. Three to ten key words or phrases should be placed below the abstract; these are used by abstracting services for indexing purposes.
Terminology: The Journal encourages the use of terminology that is sensitive to the individual who has a disease or disability. The Editorial Board endorses the concept of "people first, not their disability." Whenever possible, terminology should reflect the "person with a condition" (e.g., children with diabetes, families of children with emotional disorders) rather than the condition as an adjective (e.g., diabetic children, emotionally disturbed youth). Authors should avoid generic labeling for a disability group, such as "the asthmatics" or "the retarded." Furthermore, nonsexist language should be used throughout the text.
Ethical Standards: Authors should indicate in the Method section of the manuscript how informed consent was obtained. Inclusion of this information is especially important for studies that place the participants at some personal discomfort or psychological risk. The Editors may decline to publish an otherwise acceptable manuscript if they believe that the participants were inadequately protected. Authors will need to sign a statement provided by the Editor that they have complied with the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles with regard to the treatment of their sample, human or animal.
Tables and Figures: The APA Publication Manual should be carefully consulted for the preparation of tables and figures. Tables should be double-spaced, numbered, and referred to by number in the text. Each table should be placed on a separate sheet of paper and have a brief descriptive title. Figures or illustrations are to be numbered in one consecutive series of Arabic numerals. For the initial submission, figures may be laser prints or photocopies. Upon acceptance, one set of glossy prints, showing high contrast, must be provided. Each figure should have an accompanying caption, which is typed as one list on a separate sheet of paper.
Copyright: A statement transferring copyright from the authors (or their employers, if they hold the copyright) to the Society of Pediatric Psychology will be required before the manuscript can be accepted for publication. The Editor will supply the necessary forms for this transfer. Such a written transfer of copyright is necessary under the U.S. Copyright Law in order for the publisher to carry through the dissemination of research results and reviews as widely and effectively as possible. At the time of final acceptance of manuscripts, the authors will be asked to provide a copy of the final accepted version of the paper on disk (Microsoft Word preferred). The author will be asked to confirm in writing that the disk copy is an exact match with the final version accepted by the Editors.