Journal of behavioral medicine for the twenty-teens: opportunity and responsibility

Abstract

As many of you know, the Journal of Behavioral Medicine (JBM) has a rich history. It was the first scientific journal specifically dedicated to what, at the time, was the fledgling field of behavioral medicine. Founding Editor W. Doyle Gentry established the journal in 1977 and the first issue was published in 1978. It has been a constant leader in the field since that initial publication. Beginning in January, 2005 Christopher R. France assumed the Editor’s reigns. Dr. France displayed a keen eye for quality work and knew how to solicit it, operated with efficiency that is impossible to duplicate, and maintained the journal’s status and even led it to higher levels of quality and prestige in a field that had, over time, grown crowded with outlets for scientific publications. I know firsthand of Dr. France’s distinguished work because during his time I served as an Associate Editor. So when I received an invitation to apply for the Editor’s position I knew that, if appointed, I would assume a tremendous responsibility. The journal had a welldeserved reputation for high quality articles and efficient production times and I would be filling some very large shoes. I was somewhat surprised, but extremely honored, to become the Editor-in-Chief beginning October, 2009. There is an old saying that good editors are made by good authors, good associate editors, and a good editorial board. This is completely true! I am fortunate to have a very responsible and select panel of Associate Editors. They are a diverse group that includes men and women, members of ethnic and sexual orientation minorities, varying profession identifications, and individuals from the international community outside of the US as well as some who specialize in health research in developing countries. Their areas of expertise cover the broad range demanded by JBM. The Associate Editors are, in turn, supported by an unbelievably talented Editorial Board, the composition and dedication of which must be the envy of journal editors far and wide. I invite you to visit the JBM web page at http://www.springer.com/medicine/journal/10865 or peruse the inside front cover of the hard copy version of the journal to better acquaint yourself with these skilled and dedicated professionals. Ultimately editors can only edit submitted manuscripts. Clearly the backbone of any journal is the authors who submit manuscripts. JBM has, indeed, been very fortunate in this regard as well. Talented authors, from known experts in their fields to emerging professionals, regularly contribute manuscripts. This claim can be tested. I invite you to examine any of our recent tables of contents, pick an article that captures your attention (be it in your area of expertise or not) and give it a leisurely read on your next plane flight. You will quickly agree. But there are other data that come to bear on the issue. The impact factor for JBM has been consistently rising and now ranks among the top journals in behavioral medicine, including those in health psychology. This is something that makes publishers, editors, and authors justifiably proud and I am no different. But impact factors and real society impact may not always be the same and the latter is surely more difficult to gauge. Nevertheless, at JBM we remain interested in the big picture, the big questions, the ones with impact. Yes we are concerned about the influence that the article will have on a specific area of research and among the experts in that field. Similarly, we are concerned that it will add incrementally to a particular body of knowledge. But we are also interested in the impact on the K. S. Masters (&) Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, USA e-mail: kemaster@syr.edu