Peer Review
Behavioral and Family Research and Couple Therapy operates a double-blind anonymous peer-review process. Under this model, the identities of the authors are not disclosed to the reviewers, and the identities of the reviewers are not disclosed to the authors. The purpose of this procedure is to reduce potential bias and encourage independent assessment of manuscripts on the basis of their scholarly merits.
After submission, each manuscript first undergoes an initial editorial screening. At this stage, the editorial team evaluates whether the manuscript falls within the aims and scope of the journal, meets basic submission and formatting requirements, demonstrates an appropriate level of scientific and methodological quality, and complies with relevant ethical and publication standards. The manuscript may also undergo plagiarism and similarity screening using iThenticate.
A manuscript may be declined during the initial evaluation if it is outside the scope of the journal, fails to meet essential scientific or methodological requirements, contains serious ethical or originality concerns, or is otherwise unsuitable for external peer review.
Manuscripts that successfully complete the initial screening are sent for independent external review. Normally, each manuscript is evaluated by two or three qualified reviewers with appropriate expertise in the subject area or methodology of the submitted research.
Reviewers are asked to assess the manuscript's originality, theoretical foundation, methodological rigor, appropriateness of research design and statistical or qualitative analysis, clarity of results, interpretation of findings, quality of discussion, relevance of conclusions, use of the literature, ethical considerations, and overall contribution to the field.
Following peer review, the reviewers may recommend acceptance, revision, or rejection. In most cases where a manuscript demonstrates publication potential but requires improvement, authors are invited to submit a revised version. Authors should respond carefully to reviewer and editor comments and provide a clear explanation of the revisions undertaken.
Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers when the changes are substantial or when additional expert assessment is required. The number of review rounds depends on the nature of the reviewers' comments, the quality of the authors' revisions, and the judgment of the editorial team.
The final decision regarding publication rests with the journal's editorial authority. Reviewer recommendations constitute an important component of the decision-making process but do not independently determine acceptance or rejection.
The journal expects reviewers to maintain strict confidentiality concerning manuscripts assigned to them. Reviewers should not distribute, reproduce, discuss, or use unpublished information obtained through the peer-review process for personal or professional advantage. Reviewers are also expected to disclose any conflict of interest that could compromise the impartiality of their assessment.
Likewise, editors are expected to handle submitted manuscripts confidentially and make decisions based on scientific considerations rather than personal, institutional, commercial, or other inappropriate influences.
The double-blind review system, combined with assessment by two or three independent experts, is intended to promote fairness, scientific rigor, constructive scholarly criticism, and confidence in the quality of research published by Behavioral and Family Research and Couple Therapy.
