Editorial Policies

Overview

The Journal of Addiction Therapy and Research (JATR) follows rigorous editorial and ethical standards to maintain the reliability and credibility of published work. All submissions are evaluated for scientific merit, originality and ethical integrity before publication. The editorial process adheres to principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Peer Review Policy

JATR employs a double-blind peer-review model to ensure impartial evaluation. Reviewers and authors remain anonymous to one another throughout the process.

• Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent experts in the relevant field.
• Reviewers assess scientific accuracy, clarity, methodology and ethical compliance.
• Editors synthesise feedback and issue one of four decisions: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision or Reject.
• Revised manuscripts undergo re-review when necessary to verify adequacy of responses.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship is restricted to individuals who meet all ICMJE criteria:

• Substantial contribution to conception, design, data acquisition or analysis.
• Drafting or critically revising the manuscript for intellectual content.
• Final approval of the version to be published.
• Accountability for all aspects of the work, ensuring accuracy and integrity.

Contributors not meeting these criteria should be acknowledged appropriately in the Acknowledgment section.

Ghostwriting, honorary or guest authorship are strictly prohibited. Each author’s contribution must be disclosed during submission.

Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers and editors must disclose financial or personal relationships that could influence interpretation of results. The journal follows ICMJE’s Uniform Disclosure Form. Disclosures are published within the article’s metadata when relevant.

• Authors disclose conflicts at submission.
• Editors and reviewers recuse themselves from handling papers where conflicts exist.
• Undisclosed conflicts discovered post-publication will prompt correction or retraction per COPE flowcharts.

Plagiarism and Research Misconduct

All submissions undergo plagiarism screening using professional detection software prior to review. Manuscripts exceeding acceptable similarity thresholds are returned to authors for revision or rejected outright. Cases of fabrication, falsification or manipulation of data, figures or peer review are investigated following COPE guidelines.

If misconduct is confirmed, JATR will publish formal corrections, expressions of concern or retraction notices to maintain the integrity of the record.

Data Integrity and Availability

Authors must ensure that all data are accurately represented and reproducible. Where possible, underlying datasets should be made available through repositories or upon request, respecting privacy and ethical constraints.

• Clinical trials must be registered in a public registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) prior to enrolment.
• Human or animal studies require institutional ethics approval and informed consent statements.
• Data-sharing statements are encouraged in line with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles.

Editorial Independence

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board maintain full authority over editorial decisions. Publisher representatives have no role in peer-review or acceptance decisions. Advertising or sponsorship does not influence editorial content. All decisions are based solely on the manuscript’s academic quality and relevance to addiction therapy and research.

Advertising and Sponsorship

JATR may display limited advertising relevant to scientific publishing or medical education. Advertisements are clearly distinguished from editorial content and never influence editorial decisions. Sponsored supplements undergo independent peer review to the same standards as regular articles.

Appeals, Corrections and Retractions

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing a detailed rebuttal letter addressing reviewer comments. Appeals are reviewed by a senior editor not involved in the original decision.

Errors discovered post-publication are corrected via errata or corrigenda. Substantial ethical or data issues prompt retraction in accordance with COPE retraction guidelines. Retractions are clearly labelled, permanently linked to the original article, and openly accessible.

Editorial Board Roles and Responsibilities

• Editor-in-Chief: Provides strategic vision, ensures adherence to editorial policy, oversees quality and ethics.
• Associate Editors: Manage peer-review assignments and decision recommendations within specialty areas.
• Editorial Board Members: Advise on policy, review manuscripts and promote journal visibility.
• Managing Editors: Coordinate communications between authors, reviewers and production teams.

All board members adhere to confidentiality agreements and COPE’s Code of Conduct for Journal Editors.

Open Access Policy

JATR follows a Gold Open Access model. Articles are freely accessible upon publication under the CC BY 4.0 License. Authors retain copyright while granting publishing rights to the journal. There are no restrictions on reuse provided proper citation is maintained.

Editorial Ethics and Accountability

• Editors must declare any conflict of interest related to submitted manuscripts.
• Editors ensure the peer-review process remains confidential and unbiased.
• Decisions are recorded within the editorial management system for transparency.
• Annual internal audits assess compliance with ethical publishing practices.

Complaints and Grievance Procedure

Complaints from authors, reviewers or readers are handled promptly and transparently. Complaints should be sent to the editorial office email listed on the contact page. Unresolved disputes are escalated to the publisher’s ethics committee, which follows COPE mediation procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)