Peer Review Policy

Trauma and Psychological Therapies (TPT) follows a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the academic quality, credibility, and integrity of all published research. The journal is committed to maintaining high standards in psychological research and clinical practice through a fair, transparent, and unbiased evaluation system.

1. Review Model

TPT operates under a double-blind peer review system, in which:

  • The identity of authors is concealed from reviewers
  • The identity of reviewers is concealed from authors

This approach ensures that all manuscripts are evaluated solely on the basis of academic merit, originality, methodological soundness, and contribution to the field of psychology and mental health.

2. Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial screening by the editorial office to assess:

  • Relevance to trauma psychology and therapeutic studies
  • Compliance with submission guidelines and formatting standards
  • Academic structure, clarity, and language quality
  • Plagiarism and similarity index screening
  • Ethical and research integrity compliance

Manuscripts that do not meet the required standards may be rejected at the desk review stage without external peer review.

3. External Peer Review Process

Manuscripts that pass initial screening are assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers with relevant expertise in psychology, psychiatry, or related disciplines.

Reviewers evaluate submissions based on:

  • Originality and research contribution
  • Theoretical and clinical relevance
  • Methodological rigor and study design
  • Accuracy of analysis and interpretation
  • Validity of conclusions
  • Quality of academic writing and references

Based on reviewer feedback, the editorial decision may be:

  • Accept
  • Minor Revision
  • Major Revision
  • Reject

4. Review Timeline

TPT aims to maintain an efficient and timely review process:

  • 2 to 4 weeks for initial peer review feedback
  • Additional time may be required depending on the extent of revisions and author response

5. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback
  • Maintain strict confidentiality of submitted manuscripts
  • Identify missing references or relevant prior studies
  • Report any ethical concerns, plagiarism, or inconsistencies
  • Declare conflicts of interest and decline review if necessary

6. Editorial Decision

Final decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief or assigned editorial board member, based on reviewer recommendations and editorial judgment. The decision is final and ensures fairness, transparency, and academic integrity.

7. Confidentiality and Ethics

All manuscripts are treated as confidential documents. Editors and reviewers must not use unpublished material for personal research or disclose it to unauthorized individuals.

8. Commitment to Fair Review

TPT ensures that all submissions are evaluated fairly and without discrimination based on nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, or personal background. The journal upholds ethical publishing standards and promotes integrity at every stage of the review process.