The Family Journal
The Family Journal advances the theory, research, and practice of counseling with couples and families from a family systems perspective. Edited by Stephen Southern, the journal provides groundbreaking, innovative scholarship for counseling researchers, educators, and practitioners.
The most diverse coverage available
To help readers and researchers keep pace with the field, The Family Journal covers theory, research, and practice in each issue. In addition to timely, important research, the journal features multiple columns that provide a wide variety of content, focusing on how to make interventions from a systemic perspective. Regularly featured sections include Ethics, Literature Reviews, and Case Consultation Interviews with leaders in family therapy Counselor Training Techniques.Who will benefit from The Family Journal?
Anyone involved with counseling and therapy for couples and families today faces pressing challenges. The Family Journal is a reliable, comprehensive resource that serves the needs of a wide audience. For researchers, there are up-to-date articles in both empirical research and conceptual scholarship, in addition to reviews of recent literature. For educators, the latest research and theory keeps coursework current, in addition to articles focusing on counselor training. For practitioners, articles include implications for practice, plus a regular section on practical ideas and tips.
This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families is the official journal of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC). The purpose of the journal is to advance the theory, research, and practice of counseling with couples and families from a family systems perspective.
| Stephen Southern | Antioch University, USA |
| Rose Aucoin | Bradley University, USA |
| John Beckenbach | Antioch University, USA |
| Elisabeth Bennett | Gonzaga University, USA |
| Esther Benoit | Southern New Hampshire University, USA |
| Gary H. Bischof | Western Michigan University, USA |
| Loretta J. Bradley | Texas Tech University, USA |
| Susan Branco | Palo Alto University, USA |
| Tara Byers | Philadelphia Child & Family Therapy Training Center, USA |
| Robert Casares, Jr. | Wake Forest University, USA |
| Philippa Chin | Barry University, USA |
| Daniel R. Cruikshanks | Aquinas College, USA |
| Aubrey Daniels | Rutgers University, USA |
| Carlos M. Del Rio | Bellevue University, USA |
| James M. Devlin | Eastern New Mexico University, USA |
| Justine Eicker | Duquesne University, USA |
| Caitlin Frawley | University of Central Florida, USA |
| Rebecca M. Goldberg | Mississippi State University, USA |
| Laura K. Harrawood | University of Phoenix, USA |
| Bret Hendricks | Texas Tech University, USA |
| Kaitlyn Hinchey | Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Education, USA |
| Lisa Hooper | Univeristy of Louisville, USA |
| Debra K. Huntley | Retired professor, licensed clinical psychologist |
| Tamra Kelly | Angelo State University, USA |
| Vanessa Kent | Regent University, USA |
| A. Zaidy Mohdzain | Texas A&M University, USA |
| Mary Newhams | University of Phoenix, USA |
| Shawn Patrick | Antioch University, USA |
| Paul R. Peluso | Florida Atlantic University, USA |
| Terry Pertuit | Rider University, USA |
| Afarin Rajaei | Alliant International University, USA |
| Alecia Rodriquez | Barry University, USA |
| Mark Saunders | Wellspring Of Hope |
| Mark Allen Saunders | Regent University, USA |
| David Shepard | California State University, Fullerton, USA |
| Nicole Silverio | University of South Carolina, USA |
| Cara Thompson | University of South Carolina, USA |
| Lindsay M. Vik | Portland State University, USA |
| Jennifer Vinces-Cua | Kean University, USA |
| Shannon Warden | Liberty University, USA |
| Alyssa Weiss | Yorkville University, Canada |
| Myra Wilkinson | Lindsey Wilson College, USA |
| Daniel G. Williamson | Capella University, USA |
| Jennifer N. Williamson | Capella University, USA |
| Kumudu Witanapatirana-Vitro | Mercy College, USA |
| Galaxina G. Wright | Nova Southeastern University, USA |
| Fangzhou Yu | Northwestern University, USA |
OVERVIEW
The Family Journal invites articles concerned with theory, research, and practice in counseling with couples and families. Research manuscripts include quantitative, qualitative, and evaluation designs. Descriptive articles may include current issues, innovative methods, and professional concerns.
Originality
All manuscripts must be the original work of the authors, have not been published, and are not being considered for publication elsewhere. In the event of publication, The Family Journal retains copyright ownership. For any extensive quotation (more than 500 words) used in the manuscript, authors must obtain a letter of permission for its use and submit a copy of that letter with the manuscript. Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of references, quotations, tables, and figures.
Client Anonymity
Client anonymity must be protected in all manuscripts. Authors should avoid all identifying information in describing clients and their personal histories.
Review Process
All manuscripts will be sent for initial review to three members of the Editorial Board. Reviewers’ comments are sent to authors. Authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process. Generally, authors can expect within 6 months a decision regarding publication. Prior to publication, authors will receive a copy of the edited article for final approval.
Submission of Manuscripts
Manuscripts should be submitted electronically to https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tfj.
STYLE
Manuscripts
We prefer manuscripts that are 35 pages or less in length (this includes the main article and all abstract, reference, and other materials), double-spaced, using guidelines from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th or latest edition), and saved in Microsoft Word (97 or later version). The title page, abstract, references, and any tables or figures should be populated on separate pages. Use tables and figures sparingly, including only essential data. Combine tables whenever possible. All information identifying the author should appear only on the title page. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) will be used to evaluate and edit manuscripts. Authors should carefully prepare and proofread their manuscripts. Ensure agreement of citations and references. Avoid technical terminology, jargon, and acronyms. Demonstrate multicultural sensitivity and competency through thoughtful applications and examples. Authors should reduce bias in language against persons based on gender, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, disability, and age. Headings and subheadings should be used to organize the paper. All titles should be as brief and meaningful as possible. Limit use of footnotes and appendices. Since the journal uses a masked or anonymous reviewing system, please omit all citations, references, footnotes, and other information pertaining to the authors’ identities or affiliations. All manuscripts should conform to the ethical codes of the American Counseling Association and International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors.
Cover Letter
Prepare a cover letter in the e-mail to accompany the manuscript. Include all authors’ names and affiliations to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Clarify funding and special circumstances in an author note. Provide accurate addresses and phone numbers, as well as e-mail addresses and fax numbers, to facilitate the review process. Indicate in your cover letter how the proposed article could inform the membership of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors, as well as clinicians and researchers in diverse settings. We would like to receive manuscripts from professionals working in countries outside the USA. We can accept manuscripts written in other languages if the author provides an English translation.
EDITOR
Stephen Southern, Editor, The Family Journal Editorial Office, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, 618 Library Place, Evanston, IL 60201
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Authors seeking assistance with English language editing, translation with editing, or figure and manuscript formatting, to fit the journal’s specifications should consider using Sage Author Services. Other additional services include creation of infographics and video summaries to promote your article with colleagues and over social media. Visit Sage Author Services on our Journal Author Gateway for further information.
Please be aware that Sage has no affiliation with SPi and makes no endorsement of the company. An author’s use of SPi’s services in no way guarantees that his or her submission will ultimately be accepted. Any arrangement an author enters into will be exclusively between the author and SPi, and any costs incurred are the sole responsibility of the author.
Sage Choice and Open Access
If you or your funder wish your article to be freely available online to nonsubscribers immediately upon publication (gold open access), you can opt for it to be included in Sage Choice, subject to payment of a publication fee. The manuscript submission and peer review procedure is unchanged. On acceptance of your article, you will be asked to let Sage know directly if you are choosing Sage Choice. To check journal eligibility and the publication fee, please visit Sage Choice. For more information on open access options and compliance at Sage, including self author archiving deposits (green open access) visit Sage Publishing Policies on our Journal Author Gateway.
Preprints
The Family Journal may accept submissions of papers that have been posted on pre-print servers; please alert the Editorial Office when submitting and include the DOI for the preprint in the designated field in the manuscript submission system. Authors should not post an updated version of their paper on the preprint server while it is being peer reviewed for possible publication in the journal. If the article is accepted for publication, the author may re-use their work according to the journal's author archiving policy.
If your paper is accepted, you must include a link on your preprint to the final version of your paper.
Visit the Sage Journals and Preprints page for more details about preprints.