Introduction

NJCP employs a 'double-blind' peer-review The Nigerian Journal of Clinical Psychology (NJCP) is a double-blind peer-reviewed open-access journal focused on publishing original and empirical investigations contributing new knowledge to various fields, including Clinical, Counseling, Assessment, Intervention, and Culture. NJCP adheres to the guidelines and policies of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and NUC guidelines.

1. Peer Review Policy

NJCP employs a 'double-blind' peer-review process, ensuring confidentiality between authors and reviewers. After an initial editorial review, papers falling within the journal's scope undergo double-blind review by at least two referees. The editorial decision is based on these reviews, and a 'revise and resubmit' option may be given if necessary.

2. Publication Charge Policy

Published articles are open access and freely available online. Authors are required to pay Article Processing Charge (APC) and Article Publication Fee (APF) to cover peer review, production, and dissemination costs. This policy ensures accessibility to published content.

3. Publication Malpractice Statement

NJCP and its publisher, NACP, adhere to ethical guidelines outlined by COPE and NUC. Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to follow best-practice guidelines as per APA guidelines for Editors, Authors, and Reviewers.

4. Authorship Policy

Authorship credit is given based on substantial contributions, and corresponding authors ensure co-author approval. Changes in authorship post-acceptance require justification and consent from all authors. The order of authors and guest authorship are regulated to maintain transparency.

5. Accessibility Policy

NJCP is committed to enhancing database accessibility through the Open Journal System (OJS), ensuring easy access to articles online. The journal operates under an open-access model, allowing users to read, download, and share content freely.

6. Corrections and Retraction Policy

Authors are responsible for reporting errors, and corrigenda or errata are published at no charge. Articles may be retracted if significant errors are identified, maintaining transparency while keeping a PDF version accessible to readers.

7. Digital Archiving Policy

NJCP ensures the preservation of published material through digital archiving on platforms like Internet Archive and self-archiving through OJS. This safeguards articles for long-term accessibility.

8. Confidentiality Policy

All information related to submitted manuscripts is kept confidential and shared only with those involved in the evaluation and publication processes. A confidentiality notice is added to correspondence, reinforcing the importance of privacy.

9. Conflict of Interests Policy

Authors must declare conflicts of interest, including financial relationships, and the journal handles such cases with transparency. Editors follow COPE guidelines, and all conflicts are addressed to ensure unbiased evaluation.

10. Privacy Policy

NJCP respects privacy, collecting personal information for communication and feedback. The privacy policy aligns with COPE's code of conduct, ensuring confidentiality and transparency in data handling.

11. Anti-plagiarism and Anti-predatory Procedures

NJCP maintains strict anti-plagiarism procedures, accepting articles with specified originality levels. Authors are urged to avoid various forms of plagiarism, with the journal using tools like Turnitin.com to address allegations.

12. Copyright Policy

NJCP follows an open-access publishing policy under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Authors retain copyright, and articles are freely accessible upon publication. The journal also supports author benefits regarding e-prints. This comprehensive set of policies and guidelines ensures the ethical conduct, accessibility, and quality of research published in the Nigerian Journal of Clinical Psychology.