New Guidelines for Publishing Review Articles in JPP: Systematic Reviews and Topical Reviews

Abstract

Review articles serve an important purpose in synthesizing knowledge in the field of pediatric psychology, highlighting new topic areas, innovative concepts, and contemporary issues in the field. In the arena of treatment, a high-quality systematic review may answer questions about the efficacy of psychological treatments for specific pediatric problems by synthesizing quantitative results from relevant studies about specific interventions. As new treatments are developed in the field and new conditions are being tackled with pediatric psychology interventions, efficacy will need to be established. Such results may inform pediatric psychologists and other health providers about which interventions to use. Moreover, such results may guide decision making concerning whether the strength of the evidence warrants that a specific intervention for a particular childhood medical condition be made available to patients and financed. Another important benefit of careful systematic reviews is that they may reveal gaps in the evidence base or challenging methodological problems that may lead to advances or improvements in future research. JPP has published systematic reviews of clinical interventions in pediatric psychology (e.g., Cushing & Steele, 2010; Uman, Chambers, McGrath, & Kisely, 2008) as well as reviews of the effects of pediatric conditions on children’s adjustment (e.g., Pinquart & Shen, 2011), and of the evidence base for assessments used in pediatric psychology (see Cohen et al., 2008). JPP will continue its emphasis on evidence-based practice in pediatric psychology through publication of review articles. However, as mentioned by Lavigne (2008), the process of translating research into practice in pediatric psychology is difficult. In particular, we recognize that our processes need to become increasingly sophisticated to deal effectively with the tremendous change that has occurred over the past decade in evidence-based medicine and the scholarship of review articles. Systematic reviews, defined below, are considered the highest form of evidence. But, systematic reviews must be performed using rigorous review methodology to deliver on this promise. Following the lead taken by many major medical and social science journals, JPP will accept only systematic reviews beginning this year and discontinue its practice of publishing narrative literature reviews. JPP will also introduce a new type of submission called a Topical Review.