Editorial
Advantages of publishing with Psychiatria Danubina
Publishing with Psychiatria Danubina can offer several benefits, including increased visibility for your research and academic contributions. Here are some of the ways in which publishing with the journal can enhance visibility:
Visibility
Psychiatria Danubina is a well-established and respected international journal in the field of psychiatry. It attracts submissions and readership from all around the world. Publishing your work in our journal can enhance the visibility of your research and increase its reach to a wide audience within the psychiatric community.
Collaborative opportunities
Publication in the Psychiatria Danubina may attract potential collaborators interested in your research topic or methodology. Collaborative opportunities can lead to innovative research projects and strengthen your network within the academic community.
Credibility
Psychiatria Danubina has a strong credibility in the field of psychiatry due to its rigorous peer-review process and high-quality publications. Associating your work with a reputable journal can enhance the credibility of your research and academic profile.
Speed of publication
Psychiatria Danubina offers fast publication without compromising on stringent peer review standards. To ensure efficiency, all submissions are done online, and the peer review process is entirely managed electronically. The articles are distributed in PDF format. Accepted articles receive their final citation and are made available in both user-friendly web form and a professionally formatted PDF version.
Editorial policies
Overview
Psychiatria Danubina subscribes to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and endorses the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. Submission of a manuscript to a Psychiatria Danubina journal implies that all authors have read and agreed to its content and that the manuscript conforms to the journal's policies.
Communicate with Respect
The editorial policies of Psychiatria Danubina emphasize the importance of communication with respect. The journal believes that mutual respect is essential for building trust and delivering high-quality publishing products and services to the communities it serves. The staff members of Psychiatria Danubina are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respectfully when engaging with authors, reviewers, and readers.
Psychiatria Danubina also expects the same standard of behavior from the academic community and the public in their interactions with the journal's staff. This means that individuals should communicate in a respectful manner and avoid aggressive behavior, harassment, bullying, or discrimination towards Psychiatria Danubina staff.
In cases where serious violations of this policy occur, Psychiatria Danubina reserves the right to bring these cases to the attention of employers or local authorities if necessary. Additionally, the journal may refuse to interact or do business with individuals who repeatedly or seriously violate this policy.
Overall, the editorial policies of Psychiatria Danubina prioritize respectful communication and aim to maintain a professional and inclusive environment for all parties involved in the publishing process.
Ethics and consent
Ethics approval
Research involving human participants, human material, or human data must have been conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in The Declaration of Helsinki and must have been approved by an Ethics Committee of the institution within which the work was undertaken. All manuscripts reporting the research on human subjects must include the name of the Ethics committee and the reference number associated with the approval where appropriate. Informed consent from all human participants must be obtained and included in the manuscript. To ensure participants anonymity, the manuscript must avoid providing any information that could identify individual participants.
If a study has been granted an exemption from requiring ethics approval, this should also be detailed in the manuscript (including the name of the ethics committee that granted the exemption). Further information and documentation to support this should be made available to the Editor on request. Non-compliance with these ethical guidelines may lead to manuscript rejection.
New clinical tools and procedures
Authors that submit a manuscript reporting the use of a new procedure or tool in a clinical setting, need to provide a clear justification for choosing the new approach over standard clinical practice to meet the patient's clinical needs. However, this justification is not necessary if the new procedure is already approved for clinical use at the authors' institution.
For any experimental use of a novel procedure or tool where the clinical advantage was not apparent before treatment, authors are expected to have obtained ethics committee approval and informed patient consent. This requirement ensures that the research involving the new clinical tool or procedure adheres to ethical standards and safeguards the well-being and rights of the patients involved in the study.
Sex and gender in research (SAGER)
Authors are encouraged to consult the 'Sex and Gender Equity in Research - SAGER - guidelines' before submitting their articles to ensure compliance with all relevant recommendations. The guidelines emphasize the importance of considering sex and gender in the study design, analysis, and reporting of results. By adhering to these guidelines, researchers aim to improve the quality of scientific studies, enhance understanding of sex and gender differences, and promote equitable and inclusive research outcomes. Authors should use the terms "sex" (biological attribute) and "gender" (shaped by social and cultural circumstances) carefully in order to avoid confusion.
The definitions of "sex" and "gender" based on the Office of Research in Women's Health, National Institutes of Health (NIH):
- Sex refers to biological attributes that distinguish females from males, including genetic (chromosomes), anatomical (sex organs), and hormonal (endogenous hormonal profiles) differences.
- Gender refers to socially constructed roles, behaviors, and identities that exist in a historical and cultural context. These roles and behaviors may vary across different societies and evolve over time.
Research article abstracts should clearly indicate the sex(es) to which the study applies. In the background section, authors should discuss whether sex and/or gender differences are expected and explain how they accounted for these differences in the study design. Authors should provide disaggregated data by sex and/or gender where appropriate, enabling a more nuanced analysis of the results and identification of potential disparities. If a sex and/or gender analysis was not conducted, authors should provide a rationale for its omission in the discussion section.
Consent for publication
In submitting an article to Psychiatria Danubina, authors are required to provide a clear consent for publication. This ensures that the rights, privacy, and confidentiality of the subjects involved in the study are preserved. Below are key points of this consent:
1. Permissions: Authors must secure necessary permissions for the use of copyrighted materials, proprietary data, or any content that requires consent from third parties.
2. Ethics Compliance: If the research involves human subjects, animals, or sensitive data, authors must confirm that the study was conducted in accordance with relevant ethical guidelines and regulations.
3. Privacy and Confidentiality: For research involving human subjects, authors must ensure that identifiable information is handled with utmost confidentiality and, where applicable, include proof of informed consent from participants.
4. Rights and Licensing: All materials submitted for publication will become the property of the Journal unless publication is declined. The materials in question should not be submitted elsewhere for publication while under consideration here. Although Psychiatria Danubina is an open-access journal, the copyright for all material published is vested in Psychiatria Danubina. More can be found here.
5. Conflict of Interest: Authors are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest that may influence the integrity or credibility of the research.
6. Responsibility: Authors are responsible for the content of the article, including its accuracy, originality, and compliance with legal and ethical standards.
By proceeding with the submission, authors affirm that they have read and agreed to the above terms, ensuring that their work is prepared in line with the highest ethical and professional standards.
Competing interests
In the interest of complete transparency, all authors submitting a manuscript to Psychiatria Danubina are required to declare any competing interests that might interfere with the objectivity, integrity, or perceived value of the publication. Competing interests can be financial, personal, political, academic, or otherwise, and can arise in various ways.
A competing interest exists when:
1. Financial Interests: An author has financial relationships (e.g., employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria) that could influence the work.
2. Personal Relationships: Personal or family relationships may bias an author's opinions or judgments.
3. Academic Competition: Academic interests that could be perceived to influence the results or interpretation of the work.
4. Other Conflicts: Any other relationships or activities that readers could perceive to have influenced the submitted work.
5. No conflicts: Authors are required to declare all potential competing interests in their submission. If no competing interests exist, authors must also state this explicitly.
By submitting their work to Psychiatria Danubina, authors assure that they have provided a complete and accurate description of all relevant competing interests. The aim of this policy is to provide readers with the information necessary to make an informed judgment about the research's integrity.
Failure to disclose relevant competing interests may result in rejection of the manuscript or other editorial actions as deemed necessary by Psychiatria Danubina.
Authorship
Authorship in Psychiatria Danubina is based on significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the submitted work. All individuals listed as authors must meet the following criteria:
1. Substantial Contributions: Have made significant contributions to the research, whether in the planning, execution, analysis, or interpretation of the data.
2. Drafting and Revising: Participated in drafting the article or revising it critically for intellectual content.
3. Approval: Given final approval of the version to be published, with agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring accuracy and integrity.
4. Accountability: All authors are responsible for the content of the manuscript, including its accuracy and adherence to ethical standards.
Authors should carefully consider the order in which they are listed, as it typically signifies the level of contribution. Any changes to authorship after submission must be formally requested and justified.
Contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in the acknowledgments section.
By submitting a manuscript to Psychiatria Danubina, authors affirm that they meet the authorship criteria and that all who meet the criteria are listed. Failure to accurately represent authorship may result in consequences, including manuscript rejection or retraction.
Aritificial intelligence (AI)
Psychiatria Danubina recognizes the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the scientific community, including the preparation and development of manuscripts. Authors who employ AI in their research or manuscript preparation must adhere to the following guidelines:
1. Disclosure: Authors must clearly disclose the use of AI tools, algorithms, or systems in their manuscript preparation. This includes details about the specific tasks performed by AI, such as data analysis, literature review, or writing assistance.
2. Ethical Compliance: The utilization of AI must be in line with ethical principles and standards, respecting privacy, consent, and intellectual property rights.
3. Transparency: Authors should provide transparent information about the AI systems used, including algorithms, training data, settings, and any potential biases. This ensures that readers can critically assess the methods and conclusions drawn from AI-supported research.
4. Responsibility: Despite the use of AI, authors remain fully responsible for the content, integrity, and accuracy of the manuscript. They must be able to verify and justify all findings, interpretations, and conclusions, even those derived from AI-assisted processes.
5. Peer Review Consideration: Reviewers will be informed of the use of AI in the manuscript preparation, and it will be considered as part of the overall assessment of the manuscript's quality and rigor.
6. Compliance with Guidelines: Authors must ensure that the use of AI complies with all applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards, as well as any specific guidelines or policies set forth by Psychiatria Danubina.
Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in editorial actions, including manuscript rejection or retraction.
By incorporating AI in their work, authors agree to abide by these principles, promoting transparency, integrity, and responsible innovation in research and scholarly communication within the pages of Psychiatria Danubina.
Citations
In all manuscripts submitted to Psychiatria Danubina, proper citation of original work is essential to uphold academic integrity, give credit to previous researchers, and provide readers with the context and background necessary to understand the presented work.
Authors must adhere to the following guidelines regarding citations:
1. Accuracy: All citations must accurately reflect the sources that were consulted and relied upon in the research. Inaccurate or misleading citations may result in editorial actions, including manuscript rejection or retraction.
2. Relevance: Citations should be directly relevant to the content in which they appear and should provide support or context for the associated statements or claims.
3. Formatting: Citations must be formatted according to Psychiatria Danubina's specific citation style guide, which ensures uniformity across the journal's publications. Failure to follow the prescribed format may delay the publication process.
4. Originality: Authors should cite original sources whenever possible, avoiding secondary citations unless the primary source is inaccessible.
5. Avoidance of Excessive Self-Citation: While authors should cite their previous relevant work where appropriate, excessive self-citation that does not contribute to the manuscript's content may be considered unethical.
6. Recognition of All Contributions: Citations should be used to acknowledge not only published works but also significant unpublished contributions, such as data sets or online resources, where relevant.
By adhering to these citation guidelines, authors contribute to the scholarly integrity and transparency that Psychiatria Danubina seeks to uphold in all its publications.
Duplicate publication
Duplicate publication constitutes a breach of ethical publishing practices and is not permitted by Psychiatria Danubina. It involves the submission and publication of a manuscript that substantially overlaps with one already published, without clear, explicit acknowledgment of the earlier work.
Authors must adhere to the following guidelines to prevent duplicate publication:
1.Originality: Manuscripts submitted to Psychiatria Danubina must represent original work and must not have been published elsewhere in any language or form.
2.Transparency: If a manuscript extends previous research, authors must cite those earlier works and clearly explain how the new submission offers substantial new content or perspective.
3.Disclosure: Authors must inform the editor if a manuscript has been previously submitted to another journal, even if rejected, or if it is under consideration elsewhere.
4.Avoidance of Fragmentation: Dividing research that constitutes a single coherent study into several parts and submitting them as separate publications (salami slicing) is considered unethical.
5.Consequences: Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in manuscript rejection, publication retraction, or further actions as deemed appropriate by Psychiatria Danubina.
Authors are encouraged to consult with the editorial team if they have questions about the suitability of their submission with regard to these guidelines.
By adhering to these principles, authors uphold the integrity, transparency, and originality that are central to the scholarly communication and reputation of Psychiatria Danubina.
Text recycling
Text recycling, or the reuse of one's own previously published text, figures, or data without clear attribution, is considered an unethical practice at Psychiatria Danubina. It can mislead readers regarding the originality and novelty of the research and is contrary to the principles of scholarly integrity.
Authors must adhere to the following guidelines regarding text recycling:
1.Originality: Manuscripts submitted to Psychiatria Danubina should consist of original content. Reusing substantial portions of text from previous works without proper citation is not permitted.
2.Citation and Permission: If authors wish to include previously published material, they must clearly cite the original source and, if necessary, obtain permission from the copyright holder.
3.Transparency: Any reuse of text, figures, or data should be explicitly acknowledged, and the differences between the new manuscript and the previous work should be clearly stated.
4.Avoidance of Redundancy: Text recycling that leads to redundant publication and does not contribute significant new insights or context is not acceptable.
5.Editorial Consultation: If in doubt about the appropriateness of reusing material, authors are encouraged to consult with the editorial team of Psychiatria Danubina.
6.Consequences: Failure to comply with these guidelines may lead to manuscript rejection, publication retraction, or further actions as deemed appropriate by Psychiatria Danubina.
By following these guidelines, authors ensure that their work contributes fresh and unique insights to the field and upholds the ethical standards and reputation of Psychiatria Danubina.
Peer review
Psychiatria Danubina is committed to a rigorous and fair peer review process, serving as a critical assessment to ensure that all published works meet the highest standards of quality, originality, and relevance in the field.
Key principles of our peer review process include:
1.Anonymity: Depending on the journal's policy, the review process is double-blind. The anonymity of reviewers and/or authors is maintained by the chosen method to ensure objectivity.
2.Impartiality: Reviewers are selected for their expertise and are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest to maintain an unbiased evaluation.
3.Timeliness: Psychiatria Danubina strives to provide a prompt review process without compromising thoroughness and quality.
4.Confidentiality: All manuscripts submitted for review are treated as confidential documents, and reviewers are expected to uphold this confidentiality.
5.Constructive Feedback: Reviewers are encouraged to provide constructive, comprehensive, and respectful feedback that will aid authors in improving their work.
6.Integrity: The peer review process is designed to maintain the integrity of the scientific record, and adherence to ethical guidelines is expected from both reviewers and authors.
7.Transparency: The editorial process, including the roles and responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors, is transparently delineated in the journal's guidelines.
Authors, reviewers, and editors participating in the peer review process with Psychiatria Danubina are expected to uphold these principles to contribute to the ongoing advancement and credibility of research within the field.
Confidentiality
Psychiatria Danubina is committed to maintaining strict confidentiality throughout the submission, review, and publication process. The guidelines regarding confidentiality include:
1.Manuscript Handling: All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents. Only those involved in the editorial and peer review process have access to the information contained within.
2.Reviewer Confidentiality: Reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality regarding the manuscripts they assess. Sharing manuscripts with others without explicit authorization is strictly prohibited.
3.Personal Information Protection: Personal and contact information of authors, reviewers, and editors is protected and will not be shared with third parties without consent
4.Ethical Compliance: The handling of sensitive data within the manuscript must comply with all applicable ethical guidelines and regulations.
5.Confidential Enquiry: Any questions, complaints, or appeals relating to the review process must be conducted confidentially, with only the involved parties having access to the relevant information.
By adhering to these principles of confidentiality, Psychiatria Danubina ensures the integrity and privacy of the scholarly communication process, safeguarding the interests of authors, reviewers, and the broader scientific community.
Misconduct
Misconduct in research and publication compromises the integrity of the scientific record and is not tolerated by Psychiatria Danubina. Misconduct includes but is not limited to:
1.Plagiarism: Copying another's work or ideas without proper attribution.
2.Data Fabrication and Falsification: Manipulating or inventing research data, figures, or findings.
3.Duplicate Publication: Submitting the same or substantially similar work to multiple publications without proper disclosure and permission.
4.Conflict of Interest: Failing to disclose financial, personal, or other relationships that may influence the research.
5.Authorship Misrepresentation: Incorrectly attributing authorship or omitting deserving authors.
6.Review Manipulation: Attempting to manipulate the review process through coercion, collusion, or providing false information.
7.Unethical Research Practices: Conducting research in violation of ethical standards or regulations.
Psychiatria Danubina takes allegations of misconduct seriously. All submissions are subject to scrutiny, and any suspected misconduct will be investigated thoroughly. Consequences of confirmed misconduct may include manuscript rejection, retraction of published articles, reporting to affiliated institutions, or other appropriate actions.
Corrections and retractions
Psychiatria Danubina is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record. As part of this commitment, we have established the following guidelines for corrections and retractions:
1.Corrections: If a significant error or inaccuracy is identified in a published article, a formal correction will be issued. Corrections are made to rectify honest errors (such as typographical mistakes or miscalculations) that do not alter the fundamental conclusions of the paper.
2.Retractions: Retractions are considered in cases of serious misconduct or fundamental errors that invalidate the conclusions of the research. This includes, but is not limited to, fraudulent data, plagiarism, unethical research practices, or duplicate publication.
3.Process: All corrections and retractions are made through a formal, transparent process, including a public notice that clearly explains the reason for the action.
4.Responsibility: Authors are encouraged to notify the journal promptly if they discover an error in their published work. Readers, reviewers, and editors may also raise concerns.
5.Integrity: Corrections and retractions are handled with the utmost integrity and in accordance with best practices in scholarly publishing to ensure that the scientific record remains accurate and trustworthy.
6.Permanence: Retracted articles will remain in the journal's archive, clearly marked as retracted, to maintain the historical record.
By adhering to these guidelines, Psychiatria Danubina ensures that the scholarly record is accurate and reliable, reflecting a commitment to transparency, accountability, and scientific excellence.
Appeals and complaints
Psychiatria Danubina recognizes the importance of providing a fair and transparent mechanism for appeals and complaints. Whether related to editorial decisions, review process, ethical concerns, or other matters, we are committed to handling all appeals and complaints seriously and expeditiously.
1.Submission Process: Appeals and complaints should be submitted in writing to the designated contact, such as the Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor. A clear description of the concern, along with relevant supporting documentation, should be provided.
2.Initial Assessment: All submissions will be acknowledged promptly, and an initial assessment will be conducted to determine the appropriate course of action.
3.Investigation: If warranted, a thorough investigation will be undertaken, possibly involving consultation with relevant experts, reviewers, or editorial board members.
4.Resolution: Psychiatria Danubina is committed to resolving appeals and complaints in a fair and timely manner. Outcomes will be communicated clearly and, if applicable, appropriate corrective actions will be taken.
5.Confidentiality: All appeals and complaints are handled with strict confidentiality to protect the privacy of those involved.
We encourage open communication and welcome feedback, recognizing that appeals and complaints provide an opportunity for reflection, learning, and continuous improvement in our editorial processes and policies.
Submit manuscriptEditor in Chief:
Prof. Emeritus Miro Jakovljević
MD, PhD
University of Zagreb School of Medicine
Zagreb, Croatia
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