The journal is committed to promoting the highest standards of integrity, responsibility, and respect in all aspects of research and scholarly publication. This Research Ethics Policy outlines the ethical requirements that authors must follow when conducting and reporting research involving human or animal subjects, as well as general principles of responsible research conduct.
1. Ethical Standards for Human Research
All research involving human participants, including children, their caregivers, or healthcare professionals, must comply with internationally recognised ethical guidelines. Authors must:
- Obtain prior ethical approval from a recognised Institutional Review Board (IRB) or ethics committee and state the name of the approving body in the manuscript.
- Clearly indicate that informed consent was obtained from all participants or, where applicable, from parents or legal guardians for minors.
- Provide documentation that participant privacy, autonomy, and confidentiality were safeguarded throughout the study.
2. Ethical Considerations in Case Reports and Clinical Practice
For clinical case studies or reports, written informed consent must be obtained from the patient, parent, or legal representative before publication. Identifiable information, including images and personal data, must be anonymised unless explicit permission has been granted.
3. Research Involving Animals
If animal studies are reported, authors must ensure that all procedures follow national and institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals and obtain approval from a recognised animal ethics committee. The manuscript must clearly state the ethical treatment of animals and the approval details.
4. Honesty and Scientific Integrity
Authors are expected to present research accurately and truthfully:
- Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or manipulation of data are strictly prohibited.
- All research must be original and unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
- Proper credit must be given to all contributors, and all sources must be appropriately cited.
8. Misconduct Handling
The journal takes allegations of ethical misconduct seriously. Reported concerns, whether related to data, authorship, plagiarism, or ethical approval, will be investigated using COPE guidelines. Appropriate measures, including corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions, will be taken as needed.
By submitting to the journal, authors affirm their adherence to this Research Ethics Policy. The journal reserves the right to request supporting documentation and to reject or retract any submission that fails to meet its ethical requirements.
We invite educational therapists, allied health practitioners, instructors, and trainees to submit original research, case studies, and professional insights for publication. Share your expertise and contribute to advancing knowledge and practice in the allied health and educational therapy community.
