The International Journal of Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy is the official publication of the International Society for Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy. It will be a peer-reviewed, full-text scholarly journal that provides fast, on-line publications as well as traditional, hard-copy publication of annuals.

The Purpose and Ethos

IJEPP is dedicated to supporting the international exploration of all aspects of human existence, especially the uniquely human capacity of transformation through meaning-seeking and meaning-making.

It brings together innovative, original articles from the wide spectrum of the existential community, ranging from existential-phenomenological psychology and philosophy and existential-humanistic psychology, to constructivist psychology and narrative therapy.

Any attempt to define human existence in a narrow, dogmatic way inevitably denies its richness and mysteries. No one school of psychology is large enough to encompass the various dimensions and levels of existence. Therefore, the new journal encourages the bridging between different traditions and cultures and fosters the blazing of new trails.

For example, it welcomes any form of inquiry into dialectic, paradoxical psychology, such as strength from weakness, hope in spite of despair, courage shadowed by fear, joy mingled with sorrow, the struggle for justice against oppression, and a sense of awe and transcendence in the midst of grinding boredom.

These are some of the recurrent, yet understudied, themes of the human drama being played out in various cultures. The synthesis of opposing, conflicting forces promises to move positive psychology towards a more mature and cross-cultural stage of development.

In short, the new journal sets as its priority the study of what really matters in life and death, employing a variety of perspectives and methodologies. The IJEPP may be considered as home for the positive psychology of living and dying well - a project that demands critical analysis and rigorous research, and not be to surrendered entirely to the best-selling gurus of self-help, "pop" psychologists.

Another new feature of the IJEPP is that it provides a premier, integrative forum for cross-fertilization and synergy between research, philosophy, theory and clinical applications. It serves as the definitive resource on the latest developments in the quest for meaning and understanding of the human condition.

The time is right for the launching of this new electronic Journal, because psychologists, counselors and healthcare professionals throughout the world are becoming increasingly aware of the significance of existential and spiritual issues not only in treatment and prevention, but also in enhancing personal growth and community transformation.

IJEPP represents part of a much larger evolution in scholarly electronic publishing. The advantages of on-line journals over conventional journals are many; these include economy, efficiency, and greater accessibility. All major scientific and professional societies have some form of on-line journals. In the near future, e-journals will become the major means of dissemination of scholarly information.

IJEPP will incorporate on-line features not available in print journals. For example, readers may post comments on any of the published papers, and comments will be published chronologically including the commentator's name and email for additional personal discussions.

The Scope

The scope of the Journal is broad with respect to content, types of articles, and theoretical and methodological orientations. For example, the journal will publish both experiential and experimental papers. It encourages theoretical articles as well as clinical case studies. It appreciates both quantitative and qualitative research methods, while exploring new approaches in developing the human sciences. It encourages the development of a new science of dialectical, paradoxical psychology, which integrates both the negative and positive aspects of personality and behaviors. The journal spans several disciplines, including psychology, education, cognitive sciences, social work, sociology, medicine, philosophy and theology. It also encourages submission from adherents of diverse worldviews regarding human nature and the human condition. It will also publish commentaries and critiques of previous research and professional publications. Finally, it seeks to publish authors representing different cultural traditions and aims at achieving a high level of international coverage. In short, it serves as a big tent for all those interested in what makes us human and humane.

Submission of Papers

Prospective authors should send manuscripts either to the Editor-in-Chief or directly to one of the Editors responsible for a particular area.

Manuscripts should be prepared according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). All articles must be in plain text (ASCII), Rich Text Files (RTF), or MS Word files. They may be accompanied by HTML-accessible figures.

Papers should be submitted via email.

Authors are encouraged to include hyperlinks to books, articles and websites relevant to their topics.

More detailed instructions for authors will be made available online at the journal homepage.

Editorial Board

We have assembled an impressive group of Editors and Editorial Board Members, whose specialty and research areas cover many disciplines and diverse traditions. They are listed as follows:

Editor-in-Chief Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D. C.Psych, Tyndale University College & Seminary

Managing Editor Derrick Klaassen, M.A., Trinity Western University

Editors:
Salvatore Maddi, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine (Personality Research and Existential Psychotherapy)

Ernesto Spinelli, Ph.D., Regent's College, London, UK (Existential-Phenomenological Psychotherapy)

Dmitry Leontiev, Ph.D., Moscow State University (Motivational Psychology & Submissions from Russia & Eastern Europe)

Alfried Längle, M.D., Ph.D., International Society for Logotherapy & Existential Analysis (Logotherapy & Existential Analysis)

Gerald Finch, Ph.D., Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Ecuador (Existential Psychology, Logotherapy & South America)

Book Review Editor Marvin McDonald, Ph.D., Trinity Western University

Editorial Board:
Mick Cooper, Ph.D. (University of Brighton, UK)
Brian Cunningham, Ph.D. (Tyndale Seminary, ON)
Amadeo Giorgi, Ph.D. (Saybrook Institute, CA)
Ken Hart, Ph.D. (University of Windsor, ON)
Josephine Hauer, Ed.D. (Center for Character and Culture, NY)
Marnin Heisel, Ph.D. (University of Rochester, NY)
Susan James, Ph.D. (University of British Columbia)
George Kunz, Ph.D. (Seattle University, WA)
Deborah Khoshaba-Maddi, Psy.D. (Pepperdine University, CA)
Marvin McDonald, Ph.D. (Trinity Western University, BC)
Alan Parry, Ph.D. (University of Calgary, AB)
Gary Reker, Ph.D. (Trent University, ON)
Brent Dean Robbins, Ph.D. (Allegheny College, PA)
Brent Slife, Ph.D. (Brigham Young University, UT)
Stefan Schulenberg, Ph.D. (University of Mississippi, MS)
Kirk Schneider, Ph.D. (Saybrook Institute, CA)
Karel Balcar, Ph.D. (Charles University, Prague)

Peer Review Policy

Neither the Editor nor the reviewer will impose his or her personal biases on authors. Every effort is made to ensure that all manuscripts receive constructive, objective and speedy appraisals, typically within 6 weeks.

While the IJEPP adopts the editorial policy of being open to innovations and diversity, it will not compromise the scholarly standards of clarity, depth, originality and rigor.

Copyright and credits

All material published in IJEPP is copyrighted by the International Network on Personal Meaning (INPM). Therefore, upon acceptance of an article, the author assigns to the INPM the right to publish and distribute the article. However, with the authorization by the Editor-in-Chief, an author may republish an article elsewhere, provided that its previous publication in the IJEPP is acknowledged in all subsequent publications. In special circumstances, upon agreement with the Editor-in-Chief, an author may maintain ownership of the copyright of an article

Indexing

After the publication of several issues, the IJEPP will seek to be indexed in Psychological Abstracts, PsychINFO, PsyLitDatabase, ERICDatabase, Current Contents, Social Sciences Citation Index, Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, International Bibliography, etc. It will also be archived in the National Library of Canada Electronic Collection, The International Consortium for the Advancement of Academic Publication. It will also seek membership in the Council of Editors of Learned Journals.

Journal Subscription Rates

Online access to IJEPP is freely available to all members of the INPM. Online access plus annuals is freely available to all members of the International Society for Existential Psychology and Therapy.