Master Key Statistical Concepts
for Informed Clinical Decisions

Biostats Made Simple

Explore essential statistical concepts explained simply to help clinicians better understand medical research by Chittaranjan Andrade, MD. Key topics such as effect sizes, risk ratios, and clinical trial data interpretation are broken down to support informed decision-making. This resource is tailored for clinicians and mental health professionals looking to deepen their knowledge of biostatistics and apply it to evidence-based practice.

Special Section

Focus on Women’s Mental Health

The objective of the Focus on Women’s Mental Health section is to recognize and address the need for gender-based research. Authors are invited to submit 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 the sexes equally.

Special Section

Focus on Suicide

The objective of the Focus on Suicide section is to promote scientific research into the causes and prevention of suicide. 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. In selecting articles on suicide, JCP aligns its goals with those set forth in February 2014 by the National Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Research Prioritization Task Force in A Prioritized Research Agenda for Suicide Prevention. 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.

New Special Section

Focus on Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy has been a mainstay of our field from its beginnings and remains a foundational skill of psychiatry, psychology, social work, and other mental health professions. However, psychotherapy researchers currently struggle for funding, and this area too often does not receive the attention it deserves.

To showcase work that advances knowledge of psychotherapies and their efficacy in alleviating suffering, JCP is calling for submissions to the Focus on Psychotherapy section, edited by John C. Markowitz, MD, and Rachel C. Vanderkruik, PhD. We invite high-quality original research and systematic reviews and welcome research on:

• Innovative pilot trials of new, targeted psychotherapy interventions
• Efficacy and effectiveness outcome trials
• Process/outcome, mediator, and moderator studies
• Novel therapy dosing, delivery, and technology
• Psychotherapy accessibility and equity
• Tailoring treatment to patient needs
• Treatment advances in psychotherapy
• Implementation and dissemination of psychotherapy interventions in real world contexts

All submitted manuscripts will undergo the Journal’s usual editorial evaluation and peer review.

Submit a Paper

for consideration in the Focus on Psychotherapy section

Learn How to Submit

Special Section

Focus on Psychosis

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.

Special Section

Focus on Geriatric Psychiatry

To encourage scientific studies relating to the mental health of older adults, JCP is calling for submissions to the Focus on Geriatric Psychiatry, edited by Gary W. Small, MD, and Jordan F. Karp, MD. 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.

Special Section

Early Career Psychiatrists

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

Special Section

Focus on Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health

The objective of the Focus on Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health section is 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. 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, authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts regarding the use of genomic and brain imaging studies related to childhood and adolescent mental health. Disorders include pediatric mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders as well as oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, pervasive developmental disorders, tic disorders, intellectual disability, other developmental disorders, and any other disorder that may present during childhood or adolescence. Other topics 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.