The IJSPSY and GAERPSY Publishing require all parties involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, and editors—to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence or be perceived to influence their professional judgement. This policy is aligned with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations.
1. Definition
A conflict of interest exists when a participant in the publication process has a competing interest that could unduly influence (or be reasonably perceived to influence) their responsibilities. Conflicts may be financial, personal, academic, political, or institutional in nature.
2. For Authors
Authors are required to disclose all potential conflicts of interest at the time of submission. These include, but are not limited to:
Financial conflicts: Funding sources, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications, travel grants, or other financial relationships that could influence the research.
Personal and academic conflicts: Relationships with persons or organisations that could inappropriately influence the work, including personal relationships, academic competition, or intellectual affiliations.
Political and institutional conflicts: Associations with political organisations, governmental agencies, or institutions that have a vested interest in the research outcomes.
If authors have no conflicts to declare, they must include the statement: "There is no conflict of interest." in the designated section of the manuscript.
3. For Reviewers
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest before agreeing to review a manuscript. Potential conflicts include:
A personal or professional relationship with the author(s).
A financial interest in the subject matter of the manuscript.
A competitive academic relationship with the author(s).
Prior involvement in the research being evaluated.
Reviewers who identify a conflict must decline the review invitation and notify the editorial office immediately.
4. For Editors
Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest. If the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict, the manuscript will be handled by a Deputy Editor or an independent member of the Editorial Board. Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of the manuscript’s scholarly merit, relevance, and compliance with the journal’s policies.
5. Disclosure and Transparency
All declared conflicts of interest will be published alongside the article to ensure transparency. Undisclosed conflicts of interest discovered after publication may result in the publication of a correction, an expression of concern, or retraction, in accordance with COPE guidelines.