Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD

Hofmann is the Alexander von Humboldt Professor for translational clinical psychology at Philipps-Universität Marburg in Germany.

Please share some details about your background. What is your research focus? What is your latest experience in journal editing?

My main research centers on emotional disorders and understanding how psychological interventions can help alleviate symptoms by applying findings from emotion science and neuroscience to clinical practice. In addition, for 12 years, I served as editor for Cognitive Therapy and Research. I was also editor or associate editor of Clinical Psychology Review, Clinical Psychological Science, the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, and Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.

What are your primary objectives for the journal? How do you plan to expand readership, what types of scholarship are you interested in, and what content are you aiming to attract?

My aim is to build on the journal’s established reputation by fostering methodological advances, enhancing editorial quality, and increasing scientific influence. I am committed to publishing research that tackles challenges like publication bias and variations in data quality and design as the field moves toward innovative analysis techniques, including advanced statistical methods and artificial intelligence. Transparency and openness are vital for credible science to promote clear writing, impactful data visualization, and meaningful post-publication dialogue. I will encourage preregistration, consider review prior to data collection, and support open science by inviting authors to share their datasets, coding resources, and analytic tools.

Why does this journal matter to the field? What is its significance for society and public health?

Since its inception in 1904, Psychological Bulletin has been the flagship journal for research synthesis, providing a platform where rigorous systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and conceptual integrations inform and propel the field. The journal’s reach is both broad and deep, influencing not only individual researchers but also policymakers, clinicians, and educators. Moving forward, I will ensure that the journal remains at the forefront of methodological innovation, editorial integrity, and scientific impact.

What challenges, if any, lie ahead for the field and/or the journal? What issues do you see as important for the field to address more broadly?

A central challenge for psychological science is strengthening cumulative knowledge in the context of ongoing concerns about replicability. Data synthesis is uniquely positioned to advance psychological science based on replicable findings. For Psychological Bulletin, the challenge is to ensure that reviews and meta-analyses do more than summarize the literature; they should also clarify constructs, evaluate evidence quality, and advance theory.

Our field faces growing fragmentation. Integrative work is increasingly difficult but increasingly necessary. In addition, psychology must improve how it communicates uncertainty and boundary conditions to the public and policymakers. Because articles published in Psychological Bulletin are often treated as authoritative, careful attention to evidentiary limits is essential for responsible translation to practice and policy.

Do you have plans for a special issue or changes to the editorial process? Have you introduced or are you planning to introduce any changes?

I am interested in special issues or sections that address foundational and forward-looking psychological questions that advance the field. I aim to clarify expectations for authors and reviewers, particularly regarding theoretical contribution and methodological rigor, and to ensure timely, constructive peer review.

What advice would you offer new authors hoping to publish in the journal? What are you looking for in a manuscript?

Strong submissions begin with a clear conceptual contribution. Successful manuscripts do not simply aggregate findings; they explain why a synthesis is needed and how it changes understanding of the literature. I look for theoretical clarity, transparent methods, and thoughtful engagement with heterogeneity, limitations, and alternative interpretations. Manuscripts that bring coherence to complex issues and speak to a broad psychological audience are especially compelling.

APA Journals is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in its practices and systems. How will this be reflected in the journal?

EDI will be reflected in both journal practices and content, including attention to diversity in authorship, reviewing, and editorial leadership, as well as encouragement of reviews that examine generalizability, representation, and systematic gaps in the evidence base. These issues are central to scientific rigor and theory development, not peripheral to them.

Explore APA Journals’ EDI initiatives.

APA Journals is committed to publishing transparent, rigorous research; improving reproducibility in science; and aiding research discovery. Do you foresee the journal participating or continuing to participate in any of APA Journals’ Open Science initiatives?

I strongly support continued engagement with APA Journals’ Open Science initiatives. Transparency in methods, data sources, and analytic decisions is important for Psychological Bulletin articles, given their influence on research, practice, and policy. Open science practices enhance credibility, facilitate cumulative knowledge, and strengthen the field’s long-term impact.

Please describe your experience with APA Publishing.

As an APA book author and associate editor of an APA journal, my experience with APA Publishing has been very positive. APA emphasizes scientific quality, ethical standards, and service to the field and has been collaborative and responsive, particularly with engaging editors as partners in shaping journal policy.

APA Publishing is proud to support the association’s mission to promote psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives. How will your editorship further support this mission?

My editorship will support this mission by promoting integrative, rigorous reviews that clarify what is known, what remains uncertain, and what evidence is strong enough to inform practice and policy. By publishing authoritative articles that address real-world problems, Psychological Bulletin can help ensure that psychological science meaningfully benefits society and improves lives.