Journal profile · PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL
Applied Developmental Science
ISSN 1088-8691 · eISSN 1532-480X · Taylor & Francis
Applied Developmental Science: CAS Zone 3 · Psychology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.81; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,190; review about 80 days (first decision after review, publisher); acceptance rate 18% (journal website); 43 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Applied Developmental Science is published by Taylor & Francis and is in Zone 3 of Psychology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Early Childhood Education and Development, Youth Development and Social Support and Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development, together about 50% of its articles. Its main subfields are Clinical Psychology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Aims & Scope The focus of this multidisciplinary journal is the synthesis of research and application to promote positive human development across the life span and across the globe. The journal publishes research about human development that informs public dialogue, social policy, and preventive and development optimizing interventions. The applied developmental science orientation is defined by three conjoint emphases. The applied aspect reflects its direct implication for what individuals, families, practitioners, and policymakers do. Accordingly, papers published in ADS must have clearly stated implications for at least one of these groups. The developmental aspect emphasizes a focus on systematic and successive changes within individual and social systems that occur across the life span. Accordingly, papers published in ADS must have clearly described connections to human development. The science aspect underscores the need to use a range of research methods to collect information in a systematic and rigorous manner to test the validity of theory and application. Accordingly, papers published in ADS must reflect disciplined inquiry that includes appropriately rigorous analytic techniques that are clearly matched to the research intent. Information about the effect size of findings, if appropriate, and information about the nature of the sample studied is required. The convergence of these three conjoint emphases leads to the fostering of a reciprocal relationship between theory and application as a cornerstone of applied developmental science. Empirically based developmental theory not only guides intervention strategies and social policy but is also influenced by the outcome of these activities. Furthermore, the convergence calls for a multidisciplinary perspective aimed at integrating information from biological, medical, social, and behavioral science disciplines. Given this multidisciplinary orientation, the journal publishes developmentally and theoretically grounded research employing any of a diverse array of rigorous methods (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed). Studies must have important implications for the application of developmental science across the human life span. Manuscripts pertinent to the diversity of development throughout the life span, cross-national and cross-cultural studies, studies pertinent to social justice, research about the methods and measures involved in applying developmental science, and the utilization of streng
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Hong Kong, China 1, United States 1, Canada 1, Netherlands 1, Denmark 1 (5 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Early Childhood Education and DevelopmentSocial Sciences20.6%
- Youth Development and Social SupportSocial Sciences18.5%
- Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychology10.9%
- Parental Involvement in EducationSocial Sciences7.7%
- Motivation and Self-Concept in SportsPsychology3.2%
- Resilience and Mental HealthPsychology3.2%
- Racial and Ethnic Identity ResearchSocial Sciences3.1%
- Psychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionPsychology3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Psychology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychology, Developmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Psychology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychology, Developmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Psychology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychology, Developmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- CiteScore Q1 · 2025
Publisher-reported: JCR figures are Clarivate's and CiteScore figures Scopus's to confirm; both are a different system from the CAS zones.Publisher website
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of SciencePubMedPsycINFOCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: ProQuest, OCLC
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
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
- 1.81LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.8Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 6.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.96LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.96Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.5LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 1.5Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 107OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 513OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.87OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 15.65%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 42LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 336,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 831 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 32 | 14 | 13 |
| 2025 | 43 | 16 | 55 |
| 2024 | 37 | 16 | 141 |
| 2023 | 39 | 18 | 403 |
| 2022 | 29 | 9 | 272 |
| 2021 | 29 | 8 | 396 |
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
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
80 daysfirst decision after review
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 18%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 65 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 80 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | USD 3,190 | — | — |
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)
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Artificial Intelligence Policy
GenAI content requires explicit Editor permission and full disclosure. Model summary
: The submission of content created by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools or large language models cannot be used in manuscripts published in this journal without explicit permission from the Editor. This includes, but is not limited to, narrative text, figures, images, and references. Content created by GenAI should be avoided unless it is used as part of a study’s formal research d…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Applied Developmental Science is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the discoverabili…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer Review Policy:
Peer review is double anonymized; submission via ScholarOne Manuscripts. Model summary
All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editors, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is double anonymized and submission is online via ScholarOne Manuscripts.
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
- Taylor & Francis
- ISSN
- 1088-8691
- Electronic ISSN
- 1532-480X
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 30, Issue 3 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Applied Developmental Science
What CAS zone is Applied Developmental Science in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Applied Developmental Science is in Zone 3 of Psychology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Psychology, Developmental. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Psychology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Applied Developmental Science?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.81; CiteScore 6.7, h-index 107.
How long does peer review take at Applied Developmental Science?
The publisher reports about 80 days (first decision after review); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 18%. 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.
Where are the editorial board members of Applied Developmental Science based?
Of the 5 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Hong Kong, China (1), United States (1) and Canada (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Applied Developmental Science?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Applied Developmental Science is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Applied Developmental Science open access, and what is the APC?
Applied Developmental Science is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,190.
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: .