Call for Papers

The objective of the Early Career Psychiatrists section is to encourage the academic development of early career psychiatrists. Manuscripts selected for this section will be those deemed through the review process to represent excellent work from the next generation of researchers in psychiatry.

Eligibility criteria for first authors:

• Trained psychiatrists with an MD, MD/PhD, or DO degree
• Less than 5 years from completion of training
• Current academic rank no higher than Assistant Professor

To encourage scientific studies regarding the mental health of children and adolescents, promote excellent clinical care of children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders, and help keep the psychiatric community informed about the latest research developments, the Journal invites authors to submit high-quality research manuscripts and scholarly reviews that “Focus on Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health.”

In addition to manuscripts covering studies of the phenomenology of childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders and clinical trials of treatments for childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders and associated symptoms, for which the Journal is especially well known, authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts regarding the use of genomic and brain imaging studies related to childhood and adolescent mental health, which are of growing importance in understanding disorders that commonly present in childhood and adolescence. Specific disorders of interest include pediatric mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders as well as oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, pervasive developmental disorders, tic disorders, mental retardation, other developmental disorders, and any other mental disorder that may present during childhood or adolescence. Other topics of interest include any biological, psychosocial, economic, or health services aspect of childhood and adolescent mental health. We also invite manuscripts related to the scientific understanding, differential diagnosis, early detection and monitoring, treatment, and prevention of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Any research article or scholarly review of scientific importance or clinical relevance to the study of mental health in children and adolescents is also invited. All submitted manuscripts will undergo the Journal‘s usual editorial evaluation and peer review.

To encourage scientific studies relating to the mental health of older adults, JCP is calling for submissions to the Focus on Geriatric Psychiatry section. Topics of interest include late-life depression, memory disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, grief, anxiety, resilience, and cognition. Manuscripts may address any biological, psychosocial, economic, or health services aspect of mental health in older adults, including preventive and lifestyle-related factors, care in nursing home settings, and end-of-life care. We invite high-quality research focusing on various treatment modalities, including pharmacologic treatment, psychotherapy, and complementary therapies. All submitted manuscripts will undergo the Journal’s usual editorial evaluation and peer review.

Awareness of the importance of biological sex and gender to health is increasing. Medical research that emphasizes the differences in prevalence, etiology, and course of illnesses between women and men over the life cycle generates valuable insights into prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

In recognition of the need for increased gender-based research, the Journal invites submissions of randomized clinical trials of treatment interventions as well as well-designed, well-conducted studies of epidemiologic, biological, psychosocial, economic, and health services aspects of women’s mental health issues.

Topics of interest include all aspects of mental health issues pertinent to the female reproductive lifespan, disorders that disproportionately affect women, and inquiries into how gender impacts the course and treatment of disorders that affect both women and men. All submitted manuscripts will undergo the Journal‘s usual editorial evaluation and peer review.

According to recent CDC figures, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of death among young adults aged 25 to 34. Suicide rates have not decreased in recent decades, and this year the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention set forth a research agenda with a stated goal of reducing suicides by 40% over the next 10 years.

To promote research into the causes and prevention of suicide, the Journal is issuing a call for submissions for a new Focus on Suicide section. Identification of risk and protective factors related to suicidal behavior, diagnosis of at-risk persons, evidence-based intervention research, treatment and practice strategies, interdisciplinary approaches, brain imaging, and genomic studies are all of interest. Authors are invited to submit high-quality research and scholarly reviews on all aspects of suicide that will contribute to the overall decrease in the global burden of suicide. All submitted manuscripts will undergo the Journal‘s usual editorial evaluation and peer review.

The objective of the Focus on Psychosis section is to promote scientific research that impacts the clinical care of individuals with psychotic disorders and related conditions. Topics may pertain to conditions across the continuum of psychosis (eg, disorders in the schizophrenia spectrum or psychosis in mood and other psychiatric disorders) and at any stage of illness (eg, high-risk, first-episode, chronic, and in recovery). We are especially interested in high-quality manuscripts describing well-designed and well-conducted studies relating to pharmacologic, somatic, psychosocial, cognitive, and complementary therapies. While basic and translational research studies in psychosis are not the focus of the journal, we strongly welcome studies that incorporate biological measures as a clinical outcome and/or that elucidate biological mechanisms associated with specific clinical outcomes.