Author Guidelines
Introduction
The Journal of Physiotherapy in Mental Health welcomes submissions that contribute to the advancement of knowledge regarding the relationship between physiotherapy, movement, and mental health.
The journal aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence-based practice, and innovation in the assessment, prevention, and rehabilitation of individuals experiencing mental health conditions.
Scope of the Journal
Manuscripts submitted to the journal may address topics including, but not limited to:
- Mental health rehabilitation
- Physical activity and mental health
- Psychologically informed physiotherapy
- Mental health assessment tools
- Interdisciplinary approaches in rehabilitation
- Patient-centered care and shared decision-making
- Technology and innovation in physiotherapy
- Education and training in physiotherapy and mental health
- Health promotion and prevention strategies
Article Types
The journal accepts the following types of manuscripts:
Additional materials that may be published on the journal website include:
Preparing Your Submission
Authors must prepare and upload the following documents as part of the submission process:
Manuscript Preparation
Manuscripts must be prepared according to the following format:
- Font: Times New Roman
- Size: 12 pt
- Line spacing: double
- Margins: 2.5 cm
The manuscript file must be fully anonymized to ensure a double-blind peer review process.
The manuscript structure should include the following sections when applicable:
- Title
- Abstract
- Summary Box
- Keywords
- Introduction
- Materials and Methods
- Statistical Analysis (when applicable)
- Results
- Discussion
- Ethics Approval and Informed Consent (when applicable)
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement
- Conflict of Interest Statement
- References
- Appendices (if applicable)
Summary Box
When applicable, manuscripts must include a Summary Box immediately after the abstract.
This section highlights the main contribution and relevance of the manuscript and should address the following questions:
What knowledge does this study add?
Why is this important?
The Summary Box must contain no more than five sentences and should not repeat information already included in the abstract.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement
Authors should briefly indicate how principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion were considered in the study design, participant selection, composition of the research team, or interpretation of the results, when relevant.
References
References must follow the Vancouver citation style, using superscript numbering according to the order in which they appear in the text.
Peer Review Process
All manuscripts submitted to the journal undergo a double-blind peer review process conducted by experts in the relevant field.
Following an initial editorial screening to evaluate relevance, originality, and methodological quality, manuscripts deemed suitable are sent to external reviewers. Typically, two independent reviewers evaluate each manuscript.
If necessary, the editorial team may invite additional reviewers to ensure an appropriate evaluation of the manuscript.
The editor makes the final decision based on the reviewers’ reports.
Editorial decisions may include:
- Acceptance
- Minor revisions
- Major revisions
- Rejection
Authors receiving revision requests must submit a revised version of the manuscript along with a point-by-point response to reviewers’ comments.
The journal follows international standards for transparency in peer review and editorial decision-making.
Language Policy
The Journal of Physiotherapy in Mental Health is a bilingual publication.
Manuscripts may be submitted in English or Spanish, depending on the author's language proficiency.
Once a manuscript is accepted, authors are responsible for providing a professional translation into the journal’s other publication language.
Reporting Guidelines
Authors must follow internationally recognized reporting guidelines according to the study design. Examples include:
- PRISMA – Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
- CONSORT – Randomized Controlled Trials
- STROBE – Observational Studies
- CARE – Case Reports
Authors are encouraged to consult the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) when preparing their manuscripts.
Ethics Approval and Informed Consent
Research involving human participants must comply with internationally recognized ethical standards.
Authors must indicate that the study received approval from an appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Research Ethics Committee, including the name of the institution and approval number when available.
When research involves human participants, authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants.
For studies involving minors or vulnerable populations, consent must be obtained from a parent, guardian, or legally authorized representative.
When applicable, authors should also confirm that the study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant institutional or national regulations.
If ethical approval was not required, authors must provide a clear justification.
Author Contributions
All submitted manuscripts must include a clear description of the contributions made by each author.
The journal recommends the use of the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) to specify individual contributions.
Examples of contribution roles include:
- Conceptualization
- Methodology
- Investigation
- Data curation
- Formal analysis
- Writing – original draft
- Writing – review & editing
- Supervision
- Project administration
- Funding acquisition
All listed authors must meet the authorship criteria established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Editorial Policies
Detailed information about the journal’s ethical standards, editorial procedures, open access policy, and copyright is available in the Policies section of the journal website.
