Australian Psychologist (AP) is the flagship journal of the Australian Psychological Society for practising professional psychologists. We aim to publish material on a wide range of issues pertinent to mental health and wellbeing. We encourage submissions that are cross-cultural and inclusive of all demographics, including Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The journal’s broad scope allows for a diverse range of research interests and views to be represented (including public health, organisational psychology, sport and forensic psychology, and research in community settings). We publish six issues per year with papers in a variety of formats including original research, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, qualitative research, and commentaries. AP also has a new Brief Report format (<1500 words) designed for emerging findings, studies reporting smaller samples or innovative and pilot research.
I have had the pleasure of serving as the editor-in-chief of AP since late 2020, working alongside an effective and supportive editorial board composed of award-winning early career and senior practitioner-researchers from Australia’s top research institutions and abroad. In this time, the journal’s reach has grown year after year, with our impact factor rising from 1.458 in 2019 to 2.275 in 2021.
The latest research
Recent issues have featured a variety of widely read papers. Some, such as Hancock and Perich’s (2022) systematic review, had a clinical focus. The authors reviewed the available literature of personal recovery in interventions for bipolar disorder, finding that in addition to clinical recovery, interventions promoted hope and life meaning in individuals experiencing bipolar disorder.
May and colleagues’ (2021) original research advanced our understanding of the underdiagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in women. Women were diagnosed an average of five years later than men (despite experiencing ADHD at comparable rates to men diagnosed in adulthood). They also reported more ADHD symptoms than men, and were more likely to have a history of abuse or neglect, highlighting the need for more research in this population.
The recent piece by Beaini and Shepherd (2022) provided an overview of working with Arab women with PTSD. The authors noted that Arab women face a number of life stressors that confer vulnerability to PTSD, including migration, discrimination and at times family violence. The authors provided guidance for culturally informed practice with Arab women, but noted the strong need for further research to be conducted with the Arab community.
AP’s dissemination of qualitative research highlights the value of going beyond dominant clinical frameworks in researching mental health and wellbeing. In a departure from the usually deficit-focused psychological research with Aboriginal peoples, Taylor-Bragge and colleagues (2021) analysed four case studies of Aboriginal land management programs. They found that programs based on traditional practices of land management, such as the Fire Country fire management program, were seen as beneficial to the wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples and the land they cared for.
Professional focus
AP also publishes papers directly related to professional psychology. The 2022 commentary from Walton and colleagues (2022) on self-compassion in performers is one example. Athletes, actors, dancers and musicians are prone to self-criticism and work in environments that at times actively encourage it. Drawing on emerging research, Walton and colleagues highlighted the value of fostering self-compassion in performers, as self-compassion is critical not only for mental wellbeing but may also foster improved performance and goal attainment.
High-quality Australian research and commentaries related to mental health and wellbeing are needed now more than ever. As we adjust to a post-COVID world, I am confident that AP will continue to pave the way in supporting the evidence base for practising professional psychologists throughout Australia and beyond.
Call for submissions
Australian Psychologist is seeking quality manuscripts including original articles, reviews, brief reports and commentaries.
With an Editorial Board comprising national and international experts, accepted papers receive valuable peer and editorial review with timely publication in an outlet gaining Australia-wide reach and growing global recognition.
Find out more about the submission guidelines, and queries can be directed to the Editor-in- chief, A/Prof Simon Rice [email protected]