Aims & Scope
Journal of Depression and Therapy (JDT) publishes empirical research on the behavioral, cognitive, and neurobiological mechanisms underlying depression and mood disorders, with emphasis on measurement, assessment, and evidence-based psychological interventions.
Core Research Domains
Behavioral Mechanisms
- Behavioral activation and avoidance patterns in depression
- Social withdrawal and interpersonal behavior analysis
- Reward processing and motivational deficits
- Behavioral phenotyping of depressive subtypes
- Activity monitoring and ecological momentary assessment
- Behavioral markers of depression onset and recurrence
"Longitudinal analysis of daily activity patterns predicting depressive episode onset using accelerometry and ecological momentary assessment in community samples."
Cognitive Processes
- Cognitive biases in attention, memory, and interpretation
- Rumination and repetitive negative thinking patterns
- Executive function deficits in depression
- Cognitive control and emotion regulation mechanisms
- Information processing models of depressive cognition
- Cognitive vulnerability factors and resilience
"Experimental investigation of attentional bias modification effects on rumination using eye-tracking and cognitive task performance in dysphoric individuals."
Measurement & Assessment
- Psychometric validation of depression assessment tools
- Development of behavioral observation protocols
- Ecological validity of laboratory-based measures
- Cross-cultural adaptation and validation studies
- Digital phenotyping and passive sensing methods
- Measurement invariance and differential item functioning
"Psychometric evaluation of a smartphone-based behavioral activation measure: Factor structure, reliability, and convergent validity with established depression scales."
Psychological Interventions
- Mechanisms of change in cognitive-behavioral interventions
- Behavioral activation protocols and effectiveness
- Mindfulness-based intervention components
- Digital mental health intervention design and evaluation
- Intervention personalization and moderator analysis
- Implementation science for evidence-based practices
"Randomized dismantling study identifying active components of behavioral activation: Comparing activity scheduling versus self-monitoring on behavioral and cognitive outcomes."
Secondary Focus Areas
Developmental Perspectives
- Developmental trajectories of depressive symptoms
- Age-specific behavioral manifestations
- Lifespan changes in cognitive vulnerability
- Adolescent mood regulation development
Social & Interpersonal Factors
- Social cognition in depression
- Interpersonal behavior patterns
- Social support measurement and effects
- Rejection sensitivity and social anxiety
Comorbidity & Transdiagnostic Processes
- Shared mechanisms across mood and anxiety disorders
- Behavioral overlap in comorbid conditions
- Transdiagnostic intervention approaches
- Network analysis of symptom relationships
Neurobiological Correlates
- Brain-behavior relationships in depression
- Neuroimaging of cognitive processes
- Psychophysiological markers of mood states
- Stress response systems and behavior
Methodological Innovations
- Novel statistical approaches for longitudinal data
- Machine learning for behavioral prediction
- Experience sampling methodology
- Network analysis and computational modeling
Cultural & Contextual Factors
- Cross-cultural behavioral expression of depression
- Socioeconomic influences on mood disorders
- Cultural adaptation of assessment tools
- Environmental context effects on behavior
Emerging Research Areas
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Fast-Track
- Original Research
- Systematic Reviews
- Meta-Analyses
- Methods & Measurement
- Registered Reports
Empirical studies with novel findings, methodological innovations, or comprehensive evidence synthesis. Average time to first decision: 21 days.
Standard
- Short Communications
- Brief Reports
- Data Notes
- Replication Studies
- Perspectives
Focused empirical contributions, data sharing, or theoretical perspectives. Average time to first decision: 28 days.
- Opinion Pieces
- Commentaries
- Letters to Editor
Only by invitation or in response to published articles. Must contain substantive empirical or theoretical contribution beyond opinion.
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
All submissions must follow discipline-appropriate reporting standards:
- CONSORT: Randomized controlled trials
- STROBE: Observational studies
- PRISMA: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- JARS: Quantitative psychological research
- ARRIVE: Animal research (if applicable)
Data Transparency
We strongly encourage open science practices:
- Data sharing in public repositories (OSF, Dataverse)
- Analysis code availability (GitHub, OSF)
- Materials sharing for replication
- Preregistration of hypotheses and analysis plans
Ethics & Integrity
All research must meet ethical standards:
- IRB/Ethics committee approval required
- Informed consent documentation
- Declaration of conflicts of interest
- Adherence to Helsinki Declaration principles
Statistical Rigor
Manuscripts must demonstrate methodological quality:
- A priori power analysis or justification
- Effect sizes with confidence intervals
- Appropriate correction for multiple comparisons
- Transparent handling of missing data
Preprint Policy
We support preprint sharing:
- Preprints allowed on recognized servers (PsyArXiv, bioRxiv)
- Does not affect consideration for publication
- Must be disclosed during submission
- Version of record takes precedence after publication
Reproducibility
We prioritize reproducible research:
- Detailed methods enabling replication
- Clear description of measures and procedures
- Reporting of all conditions and variables
- Disclosure of data exclusions and outliers
Ready to Submit?
If your research advances understanding of behavioral and cognitive mechanisms in depression through rigorous empirical methods, we invite your submission. Our editorial team is committed to fair, constructive peer review and rapid dissemination of high-quality behavioral science.
Submit Your Manuscript
