Call for Papers

Child Trauma
[Resources for Practitioners]

"The journal for practitioners
who don't read journals."

We are actively seeking manuscripts as well as special-issue guest editors.

Special Issues

Call for papers for special issue on child bereavement. Please send papers to guest editor Claire Malcolm, MSc.
If you have an idea for a topic for a special issue, please e-mail the journal editor, Ricky Greenwald, PsyD.

Instructions for Authors

Child Trauma is a peer-reviewed journal with a primary mission of serving as a data-informed practical resource for mental health professionals. The focus is prevention, assessment, and treatment of child and adolescent trauma, loss, and related issues. Since trauma and loss are potentially related to many child and adolescent issues, the scope is broad. The journal is explicitly geared to practitioners and as such has a preference for ecologically valid research (of real-world practice settings, clients, and interventions). The journal publishes general and special-topic issues featuring research reports, research-for-practice summaries, commentary, case studies, brief literature reviews, and comparative reviews of web sites, books, and other resources for practitioners. Child Trauma is published by Springer four times annually in March, June, September, and December.

Child Trauma features a unique blend of scientific foundation, accessible writing, and relevance to practice. Authors should prepare manuscripts in accordance with the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition, 2001. Use down-to-earth language and minimal clutter; cite only the most pertinent literature and be well-organized, clear, and to the point. Both content and conclusion should be practice-relevant, and the literature review should reflect an awareness of the difference between efficacy and effectiveness research. An abstract of 100-125 words should be included. Authors should also supply a list of four to six keywords, not appearing in the title, which will be used for indexing. Each type of submission has additional requirements as described below. You may wish to refer to prior issues or consult with the editor for further guidance. The goal is a data-informed article that practitioners can readily understand and use.

Child Trauma invites submission of the following types of papers:

Original research reports may be brief or full-length, 8-24 manuscript pages, plus tables and figures.

Research for practice summaries may be 4-8 manuscript pages and should follow this sample format. These summaries present significant previously-published studies with clear implications for practice.

Commentaries may be 1-12 pages manuscript pages. Within the focus, style, and approach of the journal, format and content are open.

Case studies may be 8-12 manuscript pages including the following components:

Literature review identifying the problem, how it is currently being addressed, where the current approach falls short (and why), and how the proposed intervention will address this.
Description of the intervention with sufficient detail that the reader will be able to replicate it.
Case example(s) including demonstration of the intervention and the client's response.
Discussion including implications for practice.

Literature reviews may be 1-4 manuscript pages, highlighting only the most important practice-relevant research on the selected topic, and drawing clear conclusions-—including implications for practice-—for the reader.

Resource reviews may be 4-8 manuscript pages, focusing on a group of competing web sites, books, client handouts, assessment instruments, training programs, professional conferences, therapy products, or other practitioner resources. (For example, the review might focus on 5 books intended as treatment aids for parents of trauma-exposed children.) The review selectively covers only the leaders in the category under consideration, including the most popular as well as the highest quality even if not so well known. This review includes the following components:

Introduction identifies the salient issues pertaining to the resource category
Narrative provides a clear and concise review of each item, conveying the flavor of each, and noting strengths, weaknesses, and special considerations
Table rates important features across items (e.g., cost, ease of use, research support, applicability to practice, etc.), to facilitate comparison and decision-making for readers.

Manuscript Submission and Review Procedures

Authors should submit the manuscript in MS Word format to: Ricky Greenwald, PsyD, Editor-in-Chief, Child Trauma. All tables must be submitted as separate files in MS Word format. All figures must be submitted as separate files in camera-ready form; photos and line art figures should be sent as a pdf, tiff (300ppi) or eps (800ppi) file.

Quotations of 300 words or more from one source require written permission from the copyright holder for reproduction. Adaptation of tables and figures also require reproduction approval from the copyrighted source. It is the author's responsibility to secure such permission, and a copy of the publisher's written permission must be provided to the journal editors immediately upon acceptance of the manuscript for publication. Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of references, quotations, tables, and figures. Upon acceptance of the article, authors are expected to complete the copyright agreement form and mail it to the editor.

Manuscripts will be sent to blind peer reviewers. The author will receive a decision and reviewer comments within 8 weeks of submission in most cases.

Indexing and Abstracting

Each indexing and abstracting service has its own listing criteria and guidelines regarding how soon a new publication may apply for coverage. We will apply to have Child Trauma covered by the relevant indexing/abstracting services When a given service decides to cover this journal, coverage will generally be retroactive to include all issues published.

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