Article Processing Charges

Behavioral and Social Studies in Mental Health operates under an open-access publication model. To support the editorial, technical, production, online publication, and long-term accessibility of published content, an Article Processing Charge (APC) of 3,000,000 Tomans is applied to articles accepted for publication.

The APC is associated with publication and is not a submission fee or peer-review fee. Authors are not charged merely for submitting a manuscript for editorial consideration, and payment of the APC does not influence editorial assessment, peer-review outcomes, or acceptance decisions.

Editorial decisions are made independently on the basis of the manuscript's academic quality, methodological rigor, originality, relevance, ethical compliance, and suitability for the journal. Reviewers do not make financial decisions regarding manuscripts, and the peer-review process remains independent of the journal's payment procedures.

The APC becomes applicable only after a manuscript has successfully completed the editorial and peer-review process and has been accepted for publication. Payment of an APC must never be interpreted as guaranteeing acceptance, expedited review, favorable reviewer recommendations, or publication.

The charge contributes to costs associated with manuscript administration, editorial management, online publication, digital hosting, journal website maintenance, production processes, publication infrastructure, and continued open access to published articles.