The International Journal of Psychosexual Therapy (IJPST) is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics and professional integrity. As a clinical and academic publication, we recognize our responsibility to promote evidence-based practice, protect the dignity and rights of research participants, and ensure transparency and accountability in all aspects of scholarly communication.

 

This policy applies to all parties involved in the publication process: authors, editors, reviewers, and the journal’s administrative team.

1. Compliance with International Standards

IJPST adheres to the ethical guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follows the principles outlined in the:

• Declaration of Helsinki (for research involving human subjects)

• APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct

• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) recommendations

All manuscripts must meet these standards in design, execution, and reporting.

 

2. Research Involving Human Participants

• IRB/Ethics Approval: All research involving human participants must have been approved by an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB), with documentation available upon request.

• Informed Consent: Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants, including consent for publication of clinical material when relevant.

• Confidentiality: All personal identifiers must be removed or anonymized. Case material must be written in a way that prevents identification, unless explicit written permission for publication has been granted.

 

3. Clinical Material and Case Studies

• Clinical case studies must respect the dignity and autonomy of the patient.

• Authors must indicate whether informed consent for publication was obtained, or describe the anonymization measures taken to protect confidentiality.

• Authors are strongly encouraged to include a brief ethics statement in case-based manuscripts.

 

4. Plagiarism and Redundant Publication

• All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and redundant publication using plagiarism detection software and editorial review.

• Submissions must be original and must not be under consideration elsewhere.

• Text recycling and self-plagiarism must be disclosed and limited to methodological or background content.

 

5. Authorship and Contribution Transparency

• All listed authors must meet the criteria for authorship: substantial contribution to conception/design, drafting or critical revision, and final approval.

• Ghost authorship, gift authorship, and honorary authorship are unethical and grounds for rejection.

• A description of each author’s contributions must be included (e.g., using CRediT taxonomy).

 

6. Conflict of Interest

• All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, or personal conflicts of interest that may affect the content or outcome of the manuscript or review process.

• A conflict of interest statement is required in each submitted manuscript, even if none exist.

 

7. Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Transparency

• The journal will issue errata, retractions, or editorial expressions of concern when significant errors, misrepresentation, or ethical violations are discovered post-publication.

• Retractions follow COPE guidelines and are clearly labeled and indexed.

 

8. Misconduct and Appeals

• Allegations of misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, falsification, harassment during peer review) will be investigated thoroughly and confidentially by the Editorial Board.

• Authors have the right to appeal decisions and present counter-evidence.

• Proven cases of misconduct may result in rejection, retraction, and notification to relevant institutions or licensing bodies.

 

9. Inclusivity and Non-Discrimination

IJPST maintains a strong commitment to publishing work that reflects diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, religion, ethnicity, and lived experience. Discriminatory or pathologizing language will not be accepted. Authors should use inclusive, respectful, and person-first language throughout their submissions.

 

10. Ethics Queries and Concerns

Questions regarding ethical issues, participant rights, or conflicts may be directed to the Editorial Office: editorial@iapst.org