The International Journal of Behavioral Social and Movement Sciences (IJOBSMS) is committed to maintaining transparency, objectivity, independence, accountability, and integrity throughout the scholarly publishing process.
A conflict of interest does not necessarily imply misconduct. However, financial, personal, professional, academic, institutional, or other relationships may influence, or may reasonably be perceived to influence, research conduct, interpretation, peer review, editorial judgment, or publication decisions. Appropriate disclosure and management of such interests are therefore essential to maintaining confidence in the scholarly record.
This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, guest editors, journal staff, publisher representatives involved in editorial activities, and other individuals who participate directly in manuscript evaluation or publication decisions. All relevant conflicts must be disclosed promptly so that they can be assessed and managed appropriately.
A conflict of interest exists when an individual's personal, financial, professional, academic, institutional, intellectual, or other interests could reasonably influence, or create the perception of influencing, the impartiality of research, peer review, editorial evaluation, or publication-related decision-making.
Conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived. The existence of a conflict does not automatically disqualify an individual from participation in the publication process. The significance of the conflict will be evaluated according to its nature, proximity, relevance, and potential effect on independent judgment.
Includes research grants, financial support, employment, paid appointments, consultancies, advisory roles, honoraria, stock ownership, paid expert testimony, patents, royalties, intellectual property rights, commercial partnerships, or direct/indirect financial interests.
Personal relationships may create a conflict where they could reasonably affect impartial judgment. These include close personal relationships, family relationships, significant disputes, or circumstances involving any person directly connected with the manuscript.
Arises from research collaboration, direct supervision, mentor–student ties, close partnerships, academic competition, professional disputes, joint projects, or employment relationships compromising evaluation.
Includes significant relationships with the same institution, department, or sponsor, or strong intellectual commitments, publicly expressed positions, academic disputes, and direct competition.
Authors must declare all actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.
All authors must disclose financial and non-financial interests at manuscript submission and include an appropriate Conflict of Interest statement in the manuscript. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that disclosures cover all co-authors, updating the information whenever circumstances change before publication, and providing complete and accurate statements.
Reviewers must evaluate their impartiality before accepting review assignments. They must decline or promptly inform the Editorial Office if conflicts exist, including recent collaboration, professional rivalry, financial ties, or personal relationships. Reviewers must not use confidential manuscript information for personal advantage.
Editors must manage manuscripts objectively. They must disclose conflicts and recuse themselves, with reassignment to independent editors where significant personal, financial, professional, academic, or institutional conflicts exist.
All authors are required to declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could reasonably be considered to influence their research, interpretation of results, manuscript preparation, or publication. This requirement applies to both financial and non-financial interests.
Authors must disclose relevant interests at the time of manuscript submission. The disclosure must identify the nature of the interest and any relevant relationships, financial support, employment, consultancy, institutional affiliation, personal relationship, or other circumstance that may influence, or be perceived to influence, the submitted work.
The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that all co-authors have reviewed and agreed to the submitted disclosure. Any change in the authors' conflict of interest circumstances before publication must be communicated promptly to the Editorial Office.
A Conflict of Interest statement must be included in every submitted manuscript and published article, whether or not a relevant conflict exists. The journal may request additional information or clarification where necessary.
Where no conflicts exist, authors must use the following statement:
"The authors declare no conflict of interest."
Where conflicts exist, authors must provide a specific disclosure describing the relevant interests. Disclosure does not automatically prevent publication; disclosed interests are assessed and managed according to their nature and potential impact on the integrity of the research and editorial process.
Standard No-Conflict Disclosure:
"The authors declare no conflict of interest."
Example of a Conflict Disclosure:
"Author A has received research support from [Organization Name]. The funder had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or publication decision."
Authors must also describe the specific role of any funder in study design, data collection, analysis, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions. The existence of funding does not automatically constitute an inappropriate conflict of interest.
Editors, Editorial Board members, staff, owners, or publishers are not prohibited from submitting scholarly work to IJOBSMS, but submissions must receive independent and impartial editorial consideration without preferential treatment.
This Conflict of Interest Policy should be read together with related IJOBSMS policies: