Top 10 Psychiatry & Mental Health Journals

Article Contents

1. Introduction
2. An overview of important Journal Metrics
3. A list of the top ranked journals for this therapeutic area
4. Ways to stay up to date with the latest research developments

Introduction

The landscape of mental health care is constantly evolving, driven by groundbreaking research that shapes how we diagnose, treat, and manage mental health conditions. Recognising the importance of mental well-being as a cornerstone of holistic health has gained increasing attention in recent times.

Despite this growing awareness, the World Health Organization points out that health systems are still playing catch-up with the mounting challenges posed by mental disorders. While perfecting the system might be beyond our reach, we can empower mental health professionals by offering a curated selection of leading mental health journals. These resources are instrumental in keeping up to date with the latest breakthroughs in the field, enabling practitioners to enhance patient care effectively.

Here you will find the top 10 Mental Health journals ranked by the 2-year Journal Impact Factor (2-JIF) – a measure of the frequency with which the articles within the journal are cited in a particular 2-year period.

We have also included these other factors for each journal in our assessment to round off the picture.

Journal Metrics

Impact factor

The Journal Impact Factor (JIF) is based on Web of Science data and only includes documents such as articles and reviews. The JIF helps to understand the importance of how often articles are cited by addressing the bias that arises from comparing citation numbers. This bias tends to advantage bigger journals over smaller ones, those published more often over those with fewer issues, and older journals over newer ones. This is because larger or older journals usually have more articles to be cited. By considering the impact factor, we can more fairly compare journals by taking into account these differences in size, publication frequency, and age. A JIF of 3 or more is considered good and 1 is average.

CiteScore

CiteScore is based on Scopus data for all indexed documents, including articles, letters, and editorials, as well as articles and reviews. The CiteScore for a particular year is calculated by dividing the number of citations to all indexed documents within the journal from that year and the three preceding years by the total number of documents published in the journal within that same period.

• Impact factor and CiteScore have the most meaning when used to compare journals within the same therapeutic area. Many academics value a journal’s Impact Factor over its CiteScore; therefore, they will use the impact factor to rank other journals in the same field.

SCImago Journal Rank (SJR)

The SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) indicator evaluates the prestige of academic journals by considering not only the number of citations a journal receives but also the prestige of the journals that issue these citations. An SJR >1.0 is above average. This measurement can be helpful to rank journals within the same field and category.

Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP)

Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP) weights citations based on the total number of citations in a subject field to provide a contextual, subject-specific metric. A SNIP over 1.0 means a journal has more citations than average.

Other Journal considerations

In addition to SJR ranking and journal impact factor, a good quality journal generally has the following characteristics:

1. It is indexed on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science or another reputable journal index
2. It has an up-to-date website, a clear scope, extensive information for authors and readers, and a publicly visible editorial board consisting of appropriately qualified board members affiliated with accredited universities and research institutions
3. Each article is assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Top 10 Mental Health Journals

Selecting the right journal for your research is a critical step that can make or break the impact of your work. This is where a medcomms agency like Rx Communications can become an essential ally. With a deep understanding of the scientific publishing world and high levels of therapeutic area expertise, a medcomms agency worth its salt should be able to provide support at any stage of the publishing process. This includes assisting in finding journals that match your research area and larger aims, and shaping your manuscript so it reflects the ethos and audience of your chosen journal, as well as guiding you through the entire submission process including managing revisions, and planning for post-publication promotion and dealing with rejection.

Rx can increase your chances of not just getting published, but also ensuring your research makes the waves it deserves.

World Psychiatry

Edited by Professor Mario Maj, this leading journal in mental health offers accessible content on clinical, service, and research developments. Freely available on Wiley Online Library and PubMed Central, it boasts the highest impact factor in psychiatry.

• Impact Factor: 73.3
• CiteScore: 63.1
• SJR: 14.306
• SNIP: 11.452
• H-Index: 125

The Lancet Psychiatry

A prestigious journal publishing a wide range of articles on mental health, including research on mental health strategies for young people and sexual victimisation.

• Impact Factor: 64.3
• CiteScore: 49.5
• SJR: 8.167
• SNIP: 11.638
• H-Index: 127

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

An interdisciplinary journal focusing on anxiety disorders across all age groups.

• Impact Factor: 10.3
• CiteScore: 14.2
• SJR: 2.850
• SNIP: 2.618
• H-Index: 134

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

Provides a global forum for debate on mental health and addiction issues.

• Impact Factor: 8.0
• CiteScore: 14.2
• SJR: 1.267
• SNIP: 1.580
• H-Index: 62

Depression and Anxiety

Welcomes original research and reviews on mood and anxiety disorders.

• Impact Factor: 7.4
• CiteScore: 12.6
• SJR: 2.572
• SNIP: 2.336
• H-Index: 149

Comprehensive Psychiatry

A peer-reviewed, open-access journal on psychiatry and mental health.

• Impact Factor: 7.3
• CiteScore: 11.1
• SJR: 1.869
• SNIP: 2.058
• H-Index: 116

American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

Focused on geriatric psychiatry, this journal covers diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in older adults.

• Impact Factor: 7.2
• CiteScore: 11.5
• SJR: 2.021
• SNIP: 1.993
• H-Index: 137

European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Covers psychopathology in children and adolescents, including neuropsychiatry.

• Impact Factor: 6.4
• CiteScore: 10.8
• SJR: 1.799
• SNIP: 2.111
• H-Index: 108

BMJ Mental Health

An open-access journal focusing on mental health, psychiatry, and psychology.

• Impact Factor: 5.2
• CiteScore: 18.1
• SJR: 4.969
• SNIP: 4.628
• H-Index: 43

JMIR Mental Health

The official journal of the Society of Digital Psychiatry, focusing on digital psychiatry and e-mental health.

• Impact Factor: 5.2
• CiteScore: 9.2
• SJR: 1.409
• SNIP: 1.560
• H-Index: 46

Publish or Perish - as true now as it ever was

In the high-stakes world of pharma and biotech, "Publish or Perish" isn't just a catchy phrase—it's the stark reality. For pharma companies and researchers, it's not enough to develop breakthroughs; the real challenge lies in getting those findings recognised in top journals. In this game, it's not just about playing your cards right; it's about having a seasoned player on your team. With Rx Communications in your corner, you’ll be giving yourself the best chance to make an impact with your research. Explore our Publications Support Services here.

How to Stay Up-to-Date with Mental Health Research Developments

For pharma professionals and researchers working in the field of Mental Health, it is vital to stay abreast of the latest research advancements. To stay on top you might:

• Consider subscribing to our newsletter and receive updates to our top journal lists as well as other relevant industry and therapeutic developments as they happen.
• Register for an account with your selected journal to get direct access to new research as it's published.
• Customise an RSS feed for your selected journals to also further streamline the process, delivering the latest papers and articles directly to your digital doorstep.
• Setting up a Google alert with Mental Health research keywords to capture relevant news and studies from across the web.
• Lastly, don't underestimate the power of social media; by following the publishers and journals in the field, you'll tap into a community of shared knowledge and discourse.

References

• Mental disorders, World Health Organization
• SCImago Journal & Country Rank
• Scopus

Article originally written by Sarah Cahill and published in 2021, updated by Beth Howe and the Rx Team for 2024!