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Peer-Reviewed · Open Access

The Journal of Affective Disorders

ISSN 3064-6774 Open Access
CROSSREFOPEN ACCESSPEER-REVIEWED
DOICrossref
CC-BYOpen License
OAOpen Access
Peer-Reviewed

Aims & Scope

The Journal of Affective Disorders is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by Directive Publications and dedicated to the science and clinical care of affective (mood) disorders. The journal welcomes original research, reviews, and case reports across the full mood spectrum, including major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, bipolar I and II disorders, and anxiety and stress-related conditions, with particular interest in comorbidity, suicidality, and self-harm.

We publish work spanning clinical psychiatry, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and behavioural interventions, neuromodulation, and digital mental health, alongside affective neuroscience, neuroimaging, genetics, neuroinflammation, and biomarker discovery. Epidemiological, translational, perinatal, paediatric, and geriatric studies are equally encouraged, as is research addressing the global burden and social determinants of mood disorders.

The journal serves psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, neuroscientists, primary-care clinicians, and public mental-health researchers seeking a rigorous, internationally accessible venue for their findings. Every submission undergoes rigorous double-blind peer review.

Accepted articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) licence with authors retaining copyright, assigned a permanent Crossref DOI, and made discoverable through OpenAlex, Google Scholar, and an OAI-PMH endpoint. The journal follows COPE ethical principles, with article-processing charges due on acceptance and waivers and discounts available.

Subject Coverage

The Journal of Affective Disorders welcomes original research, reviews, and case reports across the following core areas:

Depressive Disorders
major depressive disorder research · treatment resistant depression · persistent depressive disorder dysthymia · perinatal and postpartum depression · geriatric depression studies
Bipolar and Mood Spectrum
bipolar disorder research · bipolar I and II differential · mood stabilizer pharmacology · mixed affective states · cyclothymia and mood spectrum
Anxiety, Stress and Trauma
generalized anxiety disorder research · comorbid anxiety and depression · stress and affective dysregulation · trauma related mood disturbance · panic disorder studies
Treatment and Intervention
antidepressant pharmacotherapy trials · cognitive behavioural therapy for depression · psychotherapy outcome research · neuromodulation for mood disorders · digital mental health interventions
Affective Neuroscience and Biomarkers
neuroimaging of depression · biomarkers of mood disorders · neuroinflammation and depression · genetics of affective disorders · HPA axis and stress
Suicidality and Public Mental Health
suicide risk and prevention research · self-harm and affective disorders · epidemiology of mood disorders · global burden of depression · social determinants of mental health

Research Topics

Core subject areas published in The Journal of Affective Disorders — explore related research across our journals.

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Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

What topics does The Journal of Affective Disorders cover?

The Journal of Affective Disorders covers the full mood spectrum: major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), bipolar I and II disorders, and anxiety and stress-related conditions. It also publishes work on suicidality, affective neuroscience, neuroimaging, genetics, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, neuromodulation, and the epidemiology of mood disorders.

Who should read and publish in The Journal of Affective Disorders?

The journal is intended for psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, affective and clinical neuroscientists, primary-care clinicians, and public mental-health researchers. If your work advances the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorders, it is a strong fit for submission.

What article types can I submit to The Journal of Affective Disorders?

We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, narrative reviews, clinical case reports, brief reports, and editorials addressing any aspect of affective disorders, from basic and translational neuroscience to clinical trials and population-level mental-health research.

Is The Journal of Affective Disorders open access, and who holds copyright?

Yes. Every accepted article is published open access under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) licence, so anyone can read and reuse it with attribution. Authors retain copyright to their work.

How does peer review work at The Journal of Affective Disorders?

All submissions undergo double-blind peer review, in which authors and reviewers remain anonymous to one another. The journal follows COPE ethical principles for publication integrity, authorship, conflicts of interest, and the handling of corrections and retractions.

Does each article receive a DOI, and where is the journal discoverable?

Yes. Every published article is assigned a permanent Crossref DOI to ensure stable citation and long-term availability. Articles are discoverable through OpenAlex and Google Scholar, and metadata is exposed via an OAI-PMH endpoint for harvesting; the journal is also working toward further indexing, including a DOAJ application.

Are there article-processing charges or waivers for affective disorders research?

An article-processing charge applies on acceptance to sustain open-access publication. Waivers and discounts are available; authors who anticipate difficulty meeting the charge are encouraged to contact the editorial office when submitting their depression, bipolar, or anxiety research.

How do I submit my manuscript to The Journal of Affective Disorders?

Review the author guidelines for formatting, ethics, and reporting requirements, then use the submission page to send your manuscript. Mood-disorders research that is methodologically rigorous, clinically relevant, and reported transparently is especially welcome.

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