Guidelines for authors
Topics of interest of the journal
The areas of interest of the journal Behavioral Psychology / Psicología Conductual (International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology) are Clinical Psychology (mainly) and Health Psychology. Subjects that identify with the goals of the journal are psychological therapy (from a scientific and quantitative position), such as cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior modification or “third generation” therapies. Clinical and health assessment is another of the journal’s interests, including behavioral assessment, questionnaires or scales or interviews. The psychopathology of children, adolescents and adults, the experimental analysis of human situations, interpersonal behavior, social relationships, behavioral medicine, neuropsychology, are examples of other topics that fit the objectives of the journal. Experimental and clinical studies, single case studies (including the functional analysis of the problem), and some reviews and state of the art of a clinical or health topic are accepted (it is recommended to consult previously the subject with the Editor of the journal before submitting it for review).
Manuscripts
On the first page will be included the title of the manuscript in English, the names of the authors, the institution or organism in which they work, the email address of all the authors, the postal address of the main author and the possible acknowledgments. Please note that, according to the Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020), authorship is reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions to the published work and bear responsibility for it. Those with smaller contributions do not qualify for authorship and can be acknowledged instead. Authors are responsible for ensuring the correct authorship group, corresponding author, and author order at the time of submission. Adding or removing authors during the revision stage may be reasonable, in which case an “Author Change Form” must be submitted along with the revised manuscript. Once the manuscript is accepted, changes to authorship or author order will not be considered. Additionally, AI tools do not qualify for authorship. Authors must disclose the use of AI in content generation or data analysis in the cover letter submitted to the editor.
On the second page will be the summary and the keywords. All submissions must include an abstract in both English and Spanish, with a length between 150 and 175 words. After the abstract, please provide up to 5 keywords or short phrases. Keywords should be as specific as possible to the research topic.
On the third page, the title of the article will be written again (without the name of the authors) and the Introduction will begin. Sections of the manuscript should follow the following order: Introduction, Method, Participants, Instruments, Procedure, Results, Discussion and References.
Introduction. Briefly introduce the background and purpose of the research. Clearly define the research topic and questions, and provide an overview of the significance, objectives, and the main problems to be addressed in this study.
Method. Provide a detailed description of the methods and design employed in the study, emphasizing the operability and reproducibility of the research. This includes the overall framework of the study, the type of research design (e.g., experimental design, survey research, etc.), and the various research methods and steps used. Authors should disclose any potential conflicts of interest in the conduct and reporting of the research (e.g., financial interests in tests or procedures, funding by pharmaceutical companies for drug research, etc.).
Participants. Describe the basic information about the participants involved in the research, including the selection criteria, sample size, age, gender, occupational background, and other relevant characteristics. If the study involves a specific group or participants under certain conditions (e.g., patients, students, etc.), this should be specified here. Ensure that the study has received the necessary ethical approval and informed consent before proceeding with the research, as outlined in the Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020).
Instruments. List and describe all instruments and equipment used in the study, including measurement tools, surveys, software, testing instruments, etc. Provide key details such as the name, model, manufacturer, accuracy, reliability, and other relevant information.
Procedure. Detail the implementation process of the study, including specific steps, timelines, and data collection methods. Describe the overall process to ensure that readers can understand how each stage of the research is carried out and how the validity and reliability of the study are ensured.
Results. Report the main findings and data analysis results of the study. Present the results clearly using tables, graphs, statistical data, etc. Focus on the key findings of the research, avoiding excessive explanation and discussion.
Discussion. Explain and analyze the significance of the research results, discuss the limitations and potential biases of the study, and suggest directions for further research. Analyze the practical applications and theoretical contributions of the findings.
References. List all the references cited in the study, following the reference format provided below. Ensure that all materials cited in the text have detailed sources.
If there are appendices they will go immediately after the references. The tables and figures will go to the end of the manuscript, ordered according to their appearance in it and having indicated in the manuscript the place where they should be placed.
The maximum length of an article will not exceed 30 pages written in 1 ½ space (34 lines per page) and with a font of 12 points (preferably Times New Roman). The articles will be written in English or Spanish and will include a summary in English and Spanish (if you do not speak Spanish, we will do it for you) that has a length between 150 and 175 words.
Here are four article types that BP accepts: Original Article, Review Article, Editorial and Theoretical Article.
Original Article: An original article presents novel research findings based on primary data collected through experiments, surveys, case studies, or other methodologies, following a structured format that includes an Introduction, Methodology including Participants, Instruments, Procedure and Data analysis, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
Review Article: A review article critically examines, synthesizes, and evaluates existing research on a particular topic without introducing new experimental data, often identifying trends, gaps, and future research directions through systematic or narrative analysis.
Editorial: An editorial article is a scholarly piece that presents the opinions or insights of the editorial board, an editor, or a guest expert. It does not include new empirical data but provides commentary, analysis, or recommendations on relevant topics. Editorials are concise, opinion-based, and aim to influence discussions or research directions.
Theoretical Article: A theoretical article focuses on developing, refining, or integrating theories, models, or conceptual frameworks, relying on logical reasoning and argumentation rather than empirical data to advance knowledge in a specific field.
Publication guidelines for the journal Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual should follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition. However, we include below some general guidelines for authors.
Manuscript structure
On the first page will be included the title of the manuscript in English, the names of the authors, the institution or organism in which they work, the email address of all the authors, the postal address of the main author and the possible acknowledgments. On the second page will be the summary and the keywords. On the fourth page, the title of the article will be written again (without the name of the authors) and the Introduction will begin. Sections of the manuscript should follow the following order: Introduction, Method, Participants, Instruments, Procedure, Results, Discussion and References. If there are appendices they will go immediately after the references. The tables and figures will go to the end of the manuscript, ordered according to their appearance in it and having indicated in the manuscript the place where they should be placed.
The pages will be numbered consecutively: first page, summary, text, references, appendices (if any), tables and figures.
For any other aspect not included in the previous information, the guidelines of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020) will be followed.
General rules
The references will be cited in the text, indicating the last name of the author (s) followed by the year of publication. One of the following two models will be used, depending on the way in which the phrase has been written: “Smith and Taylor (2006) have recently published an article on personality disorders”. “There is a recent article about personality disorders (Smith and Taylor, 2006). When two or more references are cited together, they must be ordered in alphabetical order.
When a bibliographic reference is mentioned in the text, the last name and the initials of the first author’s name followed by et al. should be cited if there are more than two authors. If a paper has two authors, both will always be cited. If a work has two authors, both will always be cited. In the references (at the end of the article) all authors will always be cited.
At the end of the text, the references will be cited in alphabetical order according to the following guidelines:
For journal articles: Surname (s) of the author (s) together with the initial (s) of the name, year of publication (in parentheses), title of the article, name of the journal (in italics) volume (in italics), number, initial and final page. For example,
Caballo, V. E., Salazar, I. C., Arias, B., Irurtia, M. J., Calderero, M., and CISO-A Spain, Research Team (2010). Validation of the social anxiety questionnaire for adults (SAQ-A30) with Spanish university students: similarities and differences among degree subjects and regions. Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual, 18(1), 5-34.
For papers presented at congresses: Surname (s) of the author (s) together with the initial (s) of the name, year and month of celebration (in parentheses), title of the paper (in italics) name of the congress, city where it took place and country. For example,
Romero, S., Lozano, J., and Lega, L. I. (1998, July).Differences in the irrational thinking of Salvadorans living in the United States and those who live in El Salvador. Paper presented at the World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, Acapulco, Mexico.
For book chapters: Surname (s) of the author (s) along with the initial (s) of the name, year of publication (in parentheses), title of the chapter, initials of the name and surname (s) of the author (s) or editor (s) of the book, title of the book (in italics), initial and final pages, place of publication and publisher. For example,
Antony, M. M. and Barlow, D. H. (1997). Specific phobia. In V. E. Caballo (ed.), Handbook for the treatment of psychological disorders (pp. 3-24). Madrid: Siglo XXI.
For books: Surname (s) of the author (s) or editor (s) together with the initial (s) of the name, year of publication (in parentheses), title of the book (in italics), place of publication and publisher. For example,
Turner, S. M., Calhoun, K. S., and Adams, H. E. (eds.) (1992). Handbook of clinical behavior therapy (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley.
In the case that translated books have been referenced, they will be added at the end of the reference and in parentheses the word “Orig.” followed by the year. For example,
Caballo, A. E. (1998). International hadbook of cognitive and behavioural treatments for psychological disorders. Oxford: Pergamon. (Orig. 1997).
Tables and figures will be on a separate sheet, numbered consecutively and indicating their place of inclusion in the text. The feet of them should go on the same sheet of each table or figure. Tables and figures will be of sufficient quality to be printed directly. All abbreviations that are used must be explained with a note below the table/figure.
All acronyms must be explained the first time they appear in the text (even in the case of the best known ones), for example, American Psychological Association (APA).
For any other aspect not included in the previous information, the guidelines of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020) will be followed.
Publication
The journal Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual will acknowledge receipt of the manuscripts received. Acceptance or refusal of manuscripts will be communicated to the first author as soon as possible.
Behavioral Psychology/Psicologia Conductual adopts double-anonymous peer review. All submissions that align with the journal’s scope will undergo an initial screening by editorial board members with no conflicts of interest. Submissions from editors or editorial board members will follow the same process. Each manuscript submitted for publication will be refereed anonymously by at least two subject-related professionals with no conflicts of interest, who will send a report to the editors. The final decision about the publication of a manuscript will be made by the editors.
Reviewers will assess the academic quality, reliability, validity, and originality of the manuscript, providing detailed feedback, including suggested revisions, strengths, and weaknesses. Authors will be required to revise their manuscripts and respond to the feedback accordingly. Reviewers will then submit recommendations on whether to accept, revise, or reject the manuscript, along with their reports, to an editor with no conflicts of interest. The final decision on whether to publish the manuscript will be made by an editor who has no conflicts of interest.
Manuscripts not complying with the norms will neither be refereed nor sent back to authors, though authors will be informed about this circumstance. In any case, the journal will exercise the right to include modifications to comply with the above norms.
Content of articles included in Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual reflect the work and opinions of authors and cannot be attributed anyway to the editors or the editorial board.
The editor or editorial board will impartially review each submitted manuscript and ensure the confidentiality of the peer review process. Reviewers must evaluate each manuscript fairly, disclose any conflicts of interest, and uphold the confidentiality of the peer review process.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that their article is an original submission and has not been considered for publication elsewhere. Furthermore, permission must be obtained to reproduce any material published elsewhere. The submission of a manuscript to the Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual entails full acceptance of all these guidelines for authors.
The main author of each published article will receive by e-mail a copy of it in PDF format. If you are interested in receiving a printed copy of the issue in which your article appears, you must previously pay the price of that issue.
Please contact behavioralpsycho@gmail.com to inquire about the additional printing price of that issue.
Pulication Ethics
Each manuscript submitted to Behavioral Psychology/Psicologia Conductual must adhere to the Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020). Authors are required to ensure compliance with these ethical guidelines and to confirm that the study has received approval from the designated Research Ethics Committee (REC) or Institutional Review Board (IRB), in accordance with the legal requirements of the country where the research was conducted. When applicable, a statement indicating that informed consent has been obtained for experiments involving human subjects should be included in the manuscript. The right to privacy of human subjects must be upheld at all times. All submitted manuscripts will be checked for overlapping and similar text. Manuscripts must be formatted in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Manual of the Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020. Authors bear the responsibility for ensuring that their manuscripts meet the formatting and other requirements of Behavioral Psychology/Psicologia Conductual.
Appeal
On submitting a manuscript to Behavioral Psychology/ Psicología Conductual, the author has the right to appeal any editorial decision, including retraction decisions, by submitting a detailed appeal letter to the editorial board. Appeals will be considered only under the following circumstances:
The author can provide clear evidence of significant errors or bias in the review process.
The review comments contain factual errors or a major misunderstanding of the paper’s content.
The paper has been thoroughly revised based on the reviewers’ comments but was still rejected, and the author believes the rejection was unreasonable.
The appeal letter must include detailed reasons for the appeal, along with any supporting documents. The editorial board will review the appeal and make a final decision.
By submitting a manuscript to Behavioral Psychology/ Psicología Conductual, the author fully accepts all terms and conditions of this policy.
Retraction and Correction
Authors are responsible for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of their submissions. If an article does not contain serious flaws but includes significant editorial errors or omissions that do not substantially invalidate the conclusions, the journal will issue a correction. Authors should make every effort to draft and approve the correction notice.
If a manuscript or published article is found to have major errors, plagiarism or other serious issues, the journal reserves the right to retract the publication. Authors may also submit a formal written request, clearly stating the reason for retraction, to withdraw a manuscript or a published article. Upon receiving the request, the editorial board will conduct a review and make a decision based on the provided evidence.
By submitting a manuscript to the journal Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual, the authors fully accept all terms and conditions of this policy.
Open access articles
As of April 2021 (volume 29, issue 1) all articles published in the journal will be open access. This arrangement entails a number of significant advantages:
- The full article will be available on the journal’s website from the first moment of its publication.
- If the authors wish, both Spanish and English versions of the article may appear on the journal’s website at no additional charge (optional for authors).
- The article will have a greater international diffusion, since it can be seen anywhere in the world without the readers having to pay for it.
- Each article will have its DOI code for better identification.
- Open access articles are more likely to be read by more people and have more citations, thereby increasing the impact of the journal (and therefore the articles themselves), with subsequent academic benefit for authors.
Copyright
Starting from 2021, all articles published in the journal will be under the CC-BY license, with copyright belonging to the VECA Foundation. This means they are freely accessible and can be viewed worldwide.
Articles published since 2014 are available for access and download under the CC-BY license. Articles from previous years that are not freely accessible can be purchased by adding them to the cart.