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MANUSCRIPT GUIDELINES

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For Authors
Manuscript Guidelines
Everything you need to prepare, format, and submit your research to the Journal of Mental Health & Clinical Psychology.
Peer Review ~23 days avg. Online publication ~7 days post-acceptance APC USD 1,150 License CC BY 4.0 COPE & ICMJE compliant
01

Manuscript Submission

 

Welcome and thank you for considering the Journal of Mental Health & Clinical Psychology for your work. By submitting, authors confirm they will strictly follow the journal's guidelines and ethics policies.

Manuscripts must be submitted by one of the listed authors through the online submission system. Authors facing technical difficulties may email the manuscript directly to editor@mentalhealthjournal.org. The submitting author takes full responsibility from submission through to publication.

Documents Required at Submission

Document Format Notes
Cover Letter PDF or DOCX Explains novelty, significance, and fit for JMHCP; confirms all authors meet authorship criteria
Main Manuscript DOCX Title page, full text, COI statement, funding statement, references — all in one file
Article Table of Contents Within DOCX All headings and sub-headings listed in order
Tables & Legends Within DOCX or separate In order of first citation; editable — not images
Figures & Legends TIFF / EPS / PDF ≥300 dpi; legends placed in the manuscript file
Supplementary Materials Any format Optional; clearly labelled; not peer-reviewed unless editors request
Proof Contact Details Within cover letter Name and email of the author who will check the galleyproof
Suggested Reviewers Within cover letter 3–6 names; no current collaborators; no co-authors within 5 years
After Acceptance
Once accepted and production-ready, no further edits to scientific content are possible. Essential corrections will be published as a corrigendum. The corresponding author must sign the License to Publish Form before the article can proceed. All authors will receive a direct link to the published article.

Editorial staff will respond to any submission inquiry within two working days.

02

Article Types

 

Choose the most appropriate article type before submitting. Word counts exclude abstract and references unless noted.

Original Research Article
3,000–6,000 wordsPeer reviewed
Reports original empirical findings. Must include Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Hypothesis-driven; original data required.
Review Article
No page limitMax 100 referencesPeer reviewed
Comprehensive synthesis of literature. Systematic, scoping, and narrative reviews accepted. Abstract: 100–200 words (unstructured).
Mini-Review Article
1,500–2,500 wordsMax 50 referencesPeer reviewed
Focused expert review of a specific topic or recent development. Ideal for invited contributions.
Case Report
1–2 pagesPeer reviewed
Descriptive account of a patient or small case series of clinical significance. Patient consent statement mandatory.
Short Communication
Max 4,000 wordsPeer reviewed
Concise report of new ideas or preliminary findings with major clinical or research impact. May extend prior work.
Commentary & Opinion
1,000–1,500 wordsEditorial review
Expert analysis of published literature. Title format: "Commentary: [Title of original article]". Rebuttals may be submitted in response.
Letter to the Editor
Max 1 published pageMax 10 references
Response to JMHCP articles published in the past six months. Submitted via online system. Unpublished data not permitted.
Editorial
~1 page
Brief invited pieces by editors or expert guests on current topical issues in mental health and psychology.
Book Review
Fewer than 1,000 words
Critical appraisal of a recently published book. Title format: "Book Review on: [Full Book Title]".
Corrigendum
As needed
Corrects significant errors in a previously published article. Title format specified by editorial office.
Conference Proceedings
Short summaries
Short summaries of findings from scientific meetings, conferences, and congresses. Published in dedicated online issues.
03

Formatting Requirements

 
Element Requirement
File format Microsoft Word (.docx); PDF not accepted for the main manuscript
Font & size Clear, readable font at 12 pt (e.g., Times New Roman)
Line spacing Double-spaced throughout — body text, references, captions
Line numbers Continuous line numbers required to facilitate peer review
Abbreviations Define at first use; avoid in title and abstract unless universally standard
Units SI units preferred; local equivalents in parentheses
Statistics Report test statistic, degrees of freedom, and exact p-value
Drug names Use INN (generic) names; trade names in parentheses at first mention
Language Clear, grammatical English; avoid poetic or ambiguous language
Language Editing
Authors whose primary language is not English are strongly encouraged to have their manuscript professionally edited before submission. This significantly reduces revision cycles and editorial processing time.
04

Manuscript Structure

 

Original research articles must follow the structure below in order. Review and other article types may adapt as appropriate.

Front Matter
  • Title Page
  • Abstract (150–250 words, structured)
  • Keywords (minimum 6)
Body
  • Introduction / Background
  • Materials & Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
End Matter — in this order
  • List of Abbreviations
  • Acknowledgements
  • Funding
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Authors' Contributions
  • References
Title Page Requirements
Title: descriptive, max 12 words, no abbreviations. Authors: first name, middle initial(s), last name — no degrees or titles. Include institutional affiliations with location, corresponding author email, total word count, and number of figures/tables.

Abstract

Research articles require a structured abstract (150–250 words) with subheadings: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion. The Results section must include data supporting all stated conclusions. Review articles require an unstructured abstract of 100–200 words.

Keywords

Provide a minimum of 6 keywords drawn from the title and abstract. MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms are preferred where applicable to maximise database discoverability.

05

References

 

JMHCP uses the Vancouver citation style — numbered superscript citations in order of first appearance. All references cited in the text must appear in the reference list and vice versa. Include DOIs for all journal articles where available.

In-text example: "…as previously reported by Lane2,3 and Lewis4."

Reference Format Examples

Journal Article
Author Surname Initials. Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Name. Year;Vol(Issue):Pages. doi:10.xxxxx

Smith AB, Jones CD. Cognitive therapy outcomes in PTSD. J Ment Health Clin Psychol. 2024;8(2):45-58. doi:10.29245/2578-2959/2024/2.1234
Book
Author Surname Initials. Title: Subtitle. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year.

Kaplan HI, Sadock BJ. Synopsis of Psychiatry. 11th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2015.
Book Chapter
Chapter Author(s). Chapter title. In: Editor(s), editors. Book Title. Place: Publisher; Year. p.Pages.

Nolen-Hoeksema S. Depression. In: Friedman HS, editor. Encyclopedia of Mental Health. 2nd ed. San Diego: Academic Press; 2016. p.193-205.
Website
Author (if available). Page Title [Internet]. Publisher; Year [updated Date; cited Date]. Available from: URL

World Health Organization. Depression [Internet]. WHO; 2023 [cited 2025 Jan 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
06

Figures & Tables

 

Figures

Parameter Requirement
Preferred formats TIFF, EPS, or PDF; JPEG acceptable for photographs
Resolution ≥300 dpi for colour/greyscale; ≥600 dpi for line art
Font in figures Sans-serif (Arial, Helvetica, Futura); 8–14 pt
Numbering Figure 1, Figure 2… in order of citation; panels labelled (a), (b), (c)…
Label placement Figure x label and title on the same line, below the figure, in italics
Legends In the manuscript file below each figure; define all symbols and abbreviations
Cropping If the image contains a title within it, crop it out

Tables

Number all tables sequentially (Table 1, Table 2…) in order of citation. The label and title appear on separate lines above the table; title in italics. Cite the data source below the table. Use superscript lowercase letters (a, b, c…) for footnotes. Tables must be editable — not images.

Data Transparency
Authors are encouraged to deposit underlying data in publicly accessible repositories (OSF, Figshare, Mendeley Data) and cite the dataset as a reference. A data availability statement is recommended.
07

Submission Checklist

 

Complete this checklist before submitting. Incomplete submissions will be returned without review.

Pre-submission — tick each item
 
Cover letter — describes novelty, significance, and suitability for JMHCP; confirms authorship criteria met for all authors
 
Title page — title max 12 words, no abbreviations; author names without degrees; affiliations with location; corresponding author email; word count; figure/table count
 
Structured abstract — 150–250 words with Background / Methods / Results / Conclusion; Results section contains data supporting all conclusions
 
Keywords — minimum 6, drawn from title and abstract, MeSH terms preferred
 
Manuscript formatting — 12 pt font, double-spaced throughout, continuous line numbers
 
References — Vancouver style, numbered by order of first citation, DOIs included where available
 
Figures — numbered in citation order, legends in manuscript file, image files at ≥300 dpi
 
Tables — numbered, titles in italics above table, footnotes labelled a, b, c…; editable format
 
Conflict of interest statement — included before reference list (write "none" if not applicable)
 
Funding statement — all funding sources listed with grant reference numbers
 
Ethics statement — IRB/ethics committee approval number stated; patient consent confirmed for case reports
 
Authors' contributions — individual roles described recommended
 
Suggested peer reviewers — 3–6 names; no co-authors within 5 years; no current collaborators optional
08

Peer Review & Processing Time

 

JMHCP operates a single-anonymized peer review process: reviewers are anonymous to authors. Every submission undergoes an initial editorial assessment for scope and completeness before being assigned to external reviewers.

1
Initial Editorial Assessment
Checked for scope, completeness, and minimum quality. Out-of-scope or incomplete submissions returned without review.
Less than 1 week
2
External Peer Review
Minimum two independent expert reviewers evaluate clinical relevance, methodological rigour, and clarity.
Less than 2 weeks
3
Author Revision
Authors respond point-by-point to reviewer comments and submit a revised manuscript.
Less than 2 weeks
4
Re-review & Final Decision
Revised manuscript assessed; decision communicated: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject.
Less than 1 week
5
Production & Online Publication
Galleyproof sent for author approval. Article published online after approval and payment confirmed.
~7 days post-acceptance

Average total time from submission to online publication: Four to Five Weeks.

09

Ethics & Disclosures

 

JMHCP follows ICMJE Recommendations and COPE Guidelines. The following disclosures are mandatory for all submissions.

Requirement What to state
Ethical Approval Name of IRB or ethics committee and approval reference number. Studies with human participants must confirm written informed consent was obtained.
Conflict of Interest All financial and non-financial competing interests declared. If none: "The authors declare no conflict of interest."
Funding All funding sources with grant numbers; state the funder's role (if any) in study design, data collection, analysis, and publication decision.
Authorship All authors must meet all four ICMJE criteria: substantial contribution; drafting or critical revision; final approval; accountability for all aspects.
Patient Consent Case reports and clinical images require written informed patient consent; a statement must appear in the manuscript.
Data Integrity All submissions screened for plagiarism and data irregularities. Detected misconduct results in immediate rejection and may be reported to institutions.
Clinical Trials Prospective trials must be registered (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) before first participant enrolled; registration number in the abstract.
10

Publication Charges

 

JMHCP is fully open access. The APC covers peer-review management, copyediting, typesetting, hosting, archiving, and worldwide open-access dissemination. The APC is USD 1,150, billed only upon acceptance. No charge is made at submission.

Article Processing Charge
USD 1,150
Billed only upon acceptance.
No charge is made at submission.
Waivers Available
Low-income & lower-middle-income countries
Per World Bank classification — request at submission
Note for Invited Authors
Standard APCs apply to invited authors as well, unless a specific waiver has been agreed in writing with the editorial office prior to submission.
11

Multimedia

 

JMHCP supports submission of multimedia content — video files, spoken audio, and synchronized multimedia — alongside research articles, case reports, and reviews. All multimedia submissions are peer-reviewed and published with a citable DOI.

Accepted File Formats

Type Accepted extensions
Audio .aiff   .au   .midi   .mp3   .ra   .wav   .mov
Video .avi   .asf   .wma   .gif   .mov

Authors must provide a separate document listing file size, player type, and technical details. Before submitting, confirm all of the following:

  • Compatible with common browsers and mobile devices
  • Audio is clear and voices intelligible
  • Video is focused, steadily shot, and adequately lit
  • Images are high resolution and captioned
Open Access
Published multimedia articles are freely accessible via the journal website and YouTube, enabling broader reach. Each multimedia article includes an open discussion forum.
12

Copyright & Licensing

 

All articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. Unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction permitted in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Authors retain copyright and grant JMHCP an exclusive license to be the first publisher. Any third party may use the article freely provided the original authors, citation details, and publisher are identified.

License to Publish
After acceptance, the corresponding author must sign and return the License to Publish Form before production begins. This confirms originality and copyright compliance.

JMHCP takes allegations of plagiarism, copyright infringement, data fabrication, and ethical misconduct seriously and investigates all cases in accordance with COPE guidelines.

13

Manuscript Withdrawal Policy

 

JMHCP respects authors' rights to withdraw their manuscript and handles all withdrawal requests in accordance with COPE Guidelines. Authors wishing to withdraw a submitted manuscript should contact the editorial office at editor@mentalhealthjournal.org as early as possible.

Stage at Withdrawal Procedure Fee
Before peer review begins Email request to editorial office; withdrawal confirmed within 2 working days No charge
During peer review Email request with reason; editorial office will notify assigned reviewers and close the submission No charge
After acceptance, before publication Written request required from all authors; withdrawal subject to editorial board review; production costs may apply Withdrawal fee may apply to cover editorial and production costs incurred
After online publication Published articles cannot be withdrawn. Errors or ethical concerns in published articles are addressed through Corrigendum (author error), Erratum (publisher error), or Retraction (serious ethical breach), in line with COPE Retraction Guidelines. Not applicable
COPE Compliance
JMHCP follows COPE's position that withdrawal of a manuscript is the author's right at any stage prior to publication. However, duplicate submission (submitting the same manuscript to another journal while it is under review at JMHCP) is a serious breach of publication ethics and will result in immediate rejection and may be reported to the author's institution. Authors must confirm at submission that the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere.
Retraction Policy
Retractions are issued only for published articles where serious errors, data fabrication, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research practices are established. All retractions are clearly labelled, linked to the original article, and the reasons stated transparently. Retraction decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the editorial board, following COPE's Retraction Guidelines.

To initiate a withdrawal, email editor@mentalhealthjournal.org with the subject line: "Withdrawal Request – [Manuscript ID]". Include the manuscript title, all author names, and the reason for withdrawal.

Submit Your Manuscript →

Questions? Contact us at editor@mentalhealthjournal.org — we respond within 2 working days.