Journal profile · PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Journal of Positive Psychology
ISSN 1743-9760 · eISSN 1743-9779 · Taylor & Francis
Journal of Positive Psychology: CAS Zone 2 · Psychology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.5; JCR Q1 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; median 151 days to acceptance (89 articles, last 24 months); acceptance rate 11% (journal website); 103 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Positive Psychology is published by Taylor & Francis and is in Zone 2 of Psychology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction, Optimism, Hope, and Well-being and Resilience and Mental Health, together about 40.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Social Psychology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Positive psychology is about scientifically informed perspectives on what makes life worth living, focussing on aspects of the human condition that lead to happiness, fulfilment, and flourishing. The Journal of Positive Psychology provides an interdisciplinary and international forum for the science and application of positive psychology. The Journal is devoted to basic research and professional application on states of optimal human functioning and fulfilment, and the facilitation and promotion of human flourishing in all its forms. The Journal brings together leading work in positive psychology undertaken by researchers across different subdisciplines within psychology (e.g., social, personality, clinical, developmental, health, organizational), as well as across other social and behavioral disciplines (e.g., sociology, family studies, education, anthropology, neuroscience, philosophy, economics, medicine, organizational sciences). Topics appropriate for the Journal include original research on human strengths and virtues, personal and social well-being, as well as applications to psychotherapy and counseling. Articles that evaluate the teaching and coaching of positive psychology are also invited. Special emphasis is placed on new theoretical and methodological approaches that advance both the science and practice of positive psychology. The Journal publishes peer-reviewed original research reports, briefer empirical reports, and theoretical and review articles provided the latter represent a new and original contribution, rather than merely surveys of literature or summaries of previous research. Peer Review: All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single anonymized and submission is online via ScholarOne Manuscripts. Disclaimer
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Editor-in-chief Robert A. EmmonsPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 5%); most named United States 33, United Kingdom 3, Mainland China 2, Italy 1, Spain 1 (43 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Psychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionPsychology24%
- Optimism, Hope, and Well-beingPsychology11.2%
- Resilience and Mental HealthPsychology5.7%
- Cultural Differences and ValuesPsychology4.9%
- Psychological and Temporal Perspectives ResearchPsychology4.5%
- Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsPsychology4.4%
- Behavioral Health and InterventionsPsychology4.2%
- Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologySocial Sciences3.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Psychology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychology, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Psychology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychology, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Psychology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychology, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- JCR Q1 · best quartile · 2025
- 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
SCIEPsycINFOCINAHLPublisher website
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
- 3.5LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 10LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 10Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.76LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 1.76Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.16LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 2.16Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 147OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 922OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.21OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 17.11%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 100LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 728,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,386 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 52 | 24 | 19 |
| 2025 | 103 | 48 | 255 |
| 2024 | 77 | 27 | 470 |
| 2023 | 93 | 38 | 1,368 |
| 2022 | 69 | 16 | 1,100 |
| 2021 | 68 | 18 | 2,094 |
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 Crossref · to
151 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 64 days – 242 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 34 days (89 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 187 days
- Sample
- 89 articles with submission and acceptance dates (170 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
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 11%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 26 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 113 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 32 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single 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 | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
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)
Article types accepted3
- briefer empirical reportsThe Journal publishes peer-reviewed original research reports, briefer empirical reports, and theoretical and review articlesLength not stated
- original research reportsThe Journal publishes peer-reviewed original research reports, briefer empirical reports, and theoretical and review articlesLength not stated
- theoretical and review articlesThe Journal publishes peer-reviewed original research reports, briefer empirical reports, and theoretical and review articlesLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
Journal supports Open Science Badges. Model summary
The Journal of Positive Psychology 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 discover…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Peer review process is single anonymized; submission online via ScholarOne Manuscripts. Model summary
All peer review is single 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
- 1743-9760
- Electronic ISSN
- 1743-9779
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 21, Issue 5 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Positive Psychology
What CAS zone is Journal of Positive Psychology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Positive Psychology is in Zone 2 of Psychology, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Psychology, Multidisciplinary. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Psychology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Positive Psychology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.5; CiteScore 10, h-index 147.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Positive Psychology?
Based on the dates recorded on 89 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 151 days (interquartile range 64–242 days); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 11%. 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 JCR quartile is Journal of Positive Psychology in?
The journal's website gives JCR Q1 (best quartile). JCR quartiles are Clarivate's to confirm and a different system from the CAS zones; in the CAS ranking the journal is in Zone 2 of Psychology.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Positive Psychology based?
Of the 43 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 5%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (33), United Kingdom (3) and Mainland China (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Positive Psychology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Positive Psychology is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists SCIE, PsycINFO and CINAHL; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Positive Psychology open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Positive Psychology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC charged, amount not published.
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 2026-08-24). Last updated: .