Horizon Journal of Psychology publishes high-quality scholarly work that contributes to theoretical development, empirical evidence, methodological advancement and practical understanding across psychology.
The journal welcomes original and rigorous research from diverse populations and contexts. Studies should demonstrate appropriate theoretical grounding, methodological justification, ethical research practice and a clear contribution to psychological knowledge.
Core thematic areas
- Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology. Psychological disorders, psychopathology, clinical assessment, psychotherapy, psychological interventions, treatment outcomes, prevention, trauma and mental health.
- Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy. Counselling processes, psychotherapy, psychological adjustment, resilience, wellbeing, life transitions, interpersonal functioning and personal development.
- Cognitive and Behavioural Psychology. Cognition, perception, attention, learning, memory, reasoning, decision-making, executive functioning, metacognition and behaviour change.
- Social and Personality Psychology. Social cognition, attitudes, interpersonal relationships, group processes, social influence, personality, individual differences, identity and social behaviour.
- Developmental and Lifespan Psychology. Psychological development across childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, adulthood and later life, including developmental transitions and contextual influences on development.
- Educational and School Psychology. Learning, academic achievement, educational motivation, student wellbeing, school mental health, psychological assessment, teacher psychology and psychological processes within educational settings.
- Health Psychology and Behavioural Health. Psychological and behavioural factors in health, illness, health behaviour, chronic conditions, treatment adherence, prevention, health promotion and wellbeing.
- Community, Cultural and Global Psychology. Community wellbeing, cultural and contextual influences on psychological processes, cross-cultural psychology, indigenous and locally grounded knowledge, social determinants of wellbeing, humanitarian contexts and global psychological issues.
- Neuropsychology and Behavioural Neuroscience. Brain–behaviour relationships, neuropsychological functioning, cognitive neuroscience, psychophysiology, neurological conditions, rehabilitation and biological influences on psychological processes.
- Industrial, Organisational and Applied Psychology. Workplace behaviour, leadership, organisational culture, employee wellbeing, occupational stress, work engagement, job performance, organisational processes and the application of psychological science to real-world settings.
- Psychological Assessment, Psychometrics and Research Methods. Psychological measurement, test development, validity, reliability, psychometrics, assessment, research design, quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research, and methodological advancement.
- Trauma, Resilience and Positive Psychology. Trauma, adversity, resilience, coping, psychological strengths, positive functioning, wellbeing, flourishing and factors that promote adaptive development.
Cross-cutting priorities
Across these areas, HJP particularly welcomes research demonstrating:
- Methodological rigour — appropriately justified designs, measurement, analysis and reporting.
- Open science and reproducibility — transparency, replication, preregistration, open materials, and responsible data and code sharing.
- Cross-cultural and contextual relevance — evidence from populations and settings that remain under-represented in psychological science.
- Translational impact — credible implications for practice, education, healthcare, public policy, organisational practice or community wellbeing.
- Research transparency and integrity — sufficient information for readers to evaluate the methodological, ethical and evidential basis of the findings.
Article types
HJP considers a range of scholarly contributions, including:
- Original Research Articles
- Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
- Scoping Reviews
- Registered Reports
- Replication Studies
- Theoretical and Conceptual Articles
- Methodological Articles
- Brief Reports
The journal may introduce additional article categories as its editorial programme develops.
What HJP looks for
A manuscript should make a clear contribution to psychological knowledge and should demonstrate:
- a clearly defined research problem or scholarly question;
- appropriate engagement with relevant literature;
- sound theoretical or conceptual grounding, where applicable;
- an appropriate and transparently reported methodology;
- appropriate ethical consideration;
- rigorous analysis and interpretation;
- conclusions supported by the evidence; and
- a clearly articulated contribution to psychological science.
HJP does not require research to have a particular geographical setting, population or methodological approach. The suitability of a manuscript is determined by its scholarly contribution, methodological quality, ethical standards and alignment with the journal's scope.
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