Journal profile · Substance Abuse
Addictive Behaviors
ISSN 0306-4603 · eISSN 1873-6327 · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 1975
Addictive Behaviors: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.02; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,450; median 140 days to acceptance (110 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 268 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE, SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Addictive Behaviors is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 2 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes, Smoking Behavior and Cessation and Behavioral Health and Interventions, together about 47.7% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Addictive Behaviors is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing high quality human research on addictive behaviors and disorders since 1975. The journal accepts submissions of full-length papers and short communications on substance-related addictions such as the abuse of alcohol, drugs and nicotine, and behavioral addictions involving gambling and technology. We primarily publish behavioral and psychosocial research, but our articles span the fields of psychology, sociology, psychiatry, epidemiology, social policy, medicine, pharmacology and neuroscience. While theoretical orientations are diverse, the emphasis of the journal is primarily empirical. That is, sound experimental design combined with valid, reliable assessment and evaluation procedures are a requisite for acceptance. However, innovative and empirically oriented case studies that might encourage new lines of inquiry are accepted as well. Studies that clearly contribute to current knowledge of etiology, prevention, social policy or treatment are given priority. Scholarly commentaries on topical issues, systematic reviews, and mini reviews are encouraged. We especially welcome multimedia papers that incorporate video or audio components to better display methodology or findings.Studies can also be submitted to Addictive Behaviors' companion title, the open access journal Addictive Behaviors Reports, which has a particular interest in 'non-traditional', innovative and empirically-oriented research such as negative/null data papers, replication studies, case reports on novel treatments, and cross-cultural research.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Substance Abuse
Editor-in-chief Marcantonio SpadaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 2%); most named United States 26, United Kingdom 8, Australia 6, Italy 3, Netherlands 3 (62 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesMedicine22.7%
- Smoking Behavior and CessationMedicine14.9%
- Behavioral Health and InterventionsPsychology10.1%
- Cannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchMedicine4.2%
- Gambling Behavior and TreatmentsPsychology3.9%
- Alcohol Consumption and Health EffectsMedicine3.6%
- Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychology3.4%
- Opioid Use Disorder TreatmentMedicine3.4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychology, Clinical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Substance Abuse | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychology, Clinical | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Substance Abuse | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychology, Clinical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Substance Abuse | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIESSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 4.02LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 4.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.55LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.48LetPub ·
- h-index
- 114LetPub ·
- h-index
- 209OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 6,306OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.8OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 27.29%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 238LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 8,644 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 213 | 104 | 95 |
| 2025 | 268 | 163 | 788 |
| 2024 | 220 | 153 | 1,781 |
| 2023 | 271 | 178 | 3,189 |
| 2022 | 290 | 189 | 5,198 |
| 2021 | 348 | 202 | 8,263 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
140 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 110 days – 199 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 2 days (110 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 143 days
- Sample
- 110 articles with submission and acceptance dates (558 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–6 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 54 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 130 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,450 / EUR 4,160 / GBP 3,560 / JPY 551,930 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,670 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 3,500 words
- Reference style
- APA
- Templates
- LaTeX and Word
- Highlights
- Required
Article types accepted15, with length limits
- case studiesCase studies or a series of case studies should not exceed 2500 words.main text ≤ 2,500 words
- case studyThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…main text ≤ 2,500 words
- commentaryThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…Length not stated
- editorialThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…main text ≤ 1,000 words
- editorialsEditorials are invited only and should not exceed 1000 words.main text ≤ 1,000 words
- full-length papersFull-length papers of original research should be no longer than 3500 words with a 250 word abstract.main text ≤ 3,500 words
- mini-reviewsThese reviews should not exceed 2500 words.main text ≤ 2,500 words
- opinionThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…Length not stated
- original researchThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…main text ≤ 3,500 words
- reviewThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…main text ≤ 4,000 words
- scholarly commentariesScholarly Commentaries express points of view on scientific matters and should not exceed 800 words.main text ≤ 800 words
- short communicationThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- short communicationsShort Communications of original research or pilot studies should be no longer than 2000 words with a 250 word abstract.main text ≤ 2,000 words
- systematic reviewThe word length requirements for the following types of papers exclude title page, references, tables and figures. Full-length papers of original research shoul…Length not stated
- systematic reviewsThese reviews should not exceed 4000 words.main text ≤ 4,000 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Submission declaration Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics in publishing Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized peer review Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1975
- ISSN
- 0306-4603
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-6327
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Addictive Behaviors
What CAS zone is Addictive Behaviors in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Addictive Behaviors is in Zone 2 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Psychology, Clinical / Substance Abuse. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Addictive Behaviors?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.02; CiteScore 7.7, h-index 209.
How long does peer review take at Addictive Behaviors?
Based on the dates recorded on 110 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 140 days (interquartile range 110–199 days); authors report an average review time of 3–6 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Addictive Behaviors?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 3,500 words; Reference style: APA; Templates: LaTeX and Word; Highlights: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Addictive Behaviors based?
Of the 62 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 2%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (26), United Kingdom (8) and Australia (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Addictive Behaviors?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Addictive Behaviors is indexed in SCIE, SSCI and Scopus.
Is Addictive Behaviors open access, and what is the APC?
Addictive Behaviors is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,450.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .