Fastest-accepting psychology journals 2026

150 psychology journals ranked by the median number of days from submission to acceptance, measured from the dates publishers deposit in PubMed for articles published 2024–2025. The interval includes peer review and revisions.

Journals: 150
Typical median: 165 d
Under 60 days: 5
Over 180 days: 66

Read this before using the ranking

Accepted papers only. Rejected manuscripts never receive an acceptance date, so these figures say nothing about desk-rejection speed, rejection rates or your chance of acceptance.
Not the time to a first decision. The interval runs from the “received” date to the “accepted” date the publisher deposits in PubMed. It includes editorial handling, peer review, every round of revision and the time authors spent revising.
Journals record dates differently. Some reset the received date when a revised manuscript arrives, and manuscripts transferred from another journal may keep or lose their earlier dates. Short medians are therefore not always comparable with long ones.
Past timelines are not a promise. Each figure comes from up to 100 recent articles published 2024–2025. Article types, special issues, editors and workload all change, and your paper may take much longer or much less time.
Fast is not the same as good. Check the journal’s scope, indexing, peer-review policy and editorial board before submitting. An unusually quick acceptance can be a warning sign of light peer review.

Journal Metrics is independent and is not affiliated with any journal or publisher listed. The figures are for information only, may contain errors and change as PubMed records are updated. Confirm current timelines on the journal’s own website. See how to spot predatory journals.

Psychology journals by median days from submission to acceptance

Psychology journals ranked by median days from submission to acceptance in PubMed
Rank	Journal	Median days	Middle half	Articles	Quartile	2026 score
1	Health Psychology Research	34	16–68	47	Q1	2.1
2	JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY	38	17–167	71	Q2	0.3
3	Current Opinion in Psychology	43	24–70	100	Q1	4.9
4	Lancet Psychiatry	46	10–69	92	Q1	8.1
5	Behavioral Sciences	55	43–71	100	Q1	3.6
6	European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education	61	50–75	100	Q1	3.9
7	Asian Journal of Psychiatry	67	46–89	100	Q1	3.2
8	Clocks & Sleep	68	50–89	100	Q1	2.6
9	SLEEP	70	5–130	71	Q3	0.7
10	Journal of Intelligence	72	56–93	100	Q1	3.0
11	Explore-The Journal of Science and Healing	79	19–135	82	Q3	1.3
12	Nature and Science of Sleep	84	66–111	100	Q1	3.1
12	Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports	84	61–133	100	Q3	0.8
14	JOURNAL OF YOUTH AND ADOLESCENCE	85	57–111	100	Q1	4.8
14	Frontiers in Psychiatry	85	58–134	100	Q1	3.3
16	Journal of Research in Health Sciences	90	57–115	73	Q2	1.8
16	Sleep Medicine-X	90	54–121	64	Q2	1.9
18	Journal of Activity, Sedentary and Sleep Behaviors	91	70–117	49	Q1	4.9
19	SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS	97	75–144	65	Q3	1.5
20	Journal of Education and Health Promotion	100	71–124	99	Q2	1.7
20	INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS	100	70–128	100	Q1	3.5
20	SLEEP Advances	100	64–167	54	Q3	1.0
23	Research in Psychotherapy-Psychopathology Process and Outcome	101	82–132	39	Q1	3.8
23	BMJ Mental Health	101	77–138	100	Q1	5.0
25	Frontiers in Sleep	104	73–138	97	Q1	2.1
25	Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health	104	74–183	100	Q1	4.4
27	Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology	106	68–153	100	Q2	2.0
28	JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS	107	77–140	98	Q1	3.0
29	Psychology Research and Behavior Management	108	91–125	100	Q1	6.4
30	Eating and Weight Disorders-Studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity	109	79–166	100	Q1	2.9
31	JMIR Mental Health	111	84–168	100	Q1	10.6
32	CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY & PSYCHOTHERAPY	113	70–163	100	Q1	2.7
33	Frontiers in Psychology	116	70–161	100	Q1	3.4
33	Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry	116	73–190	100	Q1	2.2
35	ANIMAL COGNITION	121	90–171	100	Q1	2.0
36	Journal of Eating Disorders	122	87–163	100	Q1	3.6
36	Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health	122	102–169	100	Q1	3.9
36	Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice	122	70–184	99	Q1	3.1
39	Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy	125	88–170	98	Q2	1.2
40	Spanish Journal of Psychiatry and Mental Health	128	83–180	99	Q3	1.3
41	BMC Psychiatry	129	83–207	100	Q1	4.3
42	JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH	130	98–173	100	Q1	3.2
43	South African Journal of Psychiatry	136	105–186	100	Q1	1.2
44	INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH	138	78–165	68	Q1	3.2
44	Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing	138	70–207	74	Q2	1.9
46	Eating Behaviors	139	102–194	100	Q2	2.1
46	JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS	139	97–206	100	Q1	4.7
48	Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation	140	102–170	82	Q2	2.0
49	International Journal of Mental Health Nursing	141	99–181	95	Q1	3.1
49	Personality and Mental Health	141	101–210	95	Q1	1.7
51	International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology	142	110–206	100	Q1	4.2
52	COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRY	143	92–205	100	Q1	4.7
53	PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT AND EXERCISE	144	104–191	100	Q1	3.8
54	PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH	145	104–208	100	Q1	4.4
55	EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW	147	110–204	100	Q1	2.6
55	Journal of Military Veteran and Family Health	147	103–212	77	Q4	0.5
57	CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT	149	105–215	100	Q1	3.2
57	Behavioural Processes	149	113–219	100	Q2	1.3
57	Health Psychology Report	149	104–225	80	Q3	1.3
57	BJPsych International	149	100–235	58	Q2	1.5
61	INFANT BEHAVIOR & DEVELOPMENT	150	119–198	100	Q1	2.7
62	Cambridge Prisms-Global Mental Health	151	114–194	100	Q1	2.5
63	Discover Mental Health	153	124–204	100	Q2	1.9
64	Research in Developmental Disabilities	156	104–211	99	Q1	3.0
64	PsyCh Journal	156	106–261	100	Q1	2.2
66	BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY	157	112–198	100	Q2	2.0
66	I-Perception	157	95–232	99	Q3	1.0
68	BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW	160	87–252	98	Q1	1.8
69	COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL	161	110–213	100	Q2	1.8
69	APPETITE	161	116–227	99	Q1	3.6
69	Archives of Womens Mental Health	161	111–255	98	Q1	2.9
72	International Journal of Public Health	162	106–229	100	Q1	3.3
73	BMC Psychology	163	95–299	100	Q1	4.0
74	Applied Psychology-Health and Well Being	164	129–193	100	Q1	2.9
74	Indian Journal of Psychiatry	164	87–246	100	Q1	2.0
76	Journal of Behavioral Addictions	166	132–222	100	Q1	6.2
77	FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA	167	99–231	100	Q3	0.9
78	INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW AND PSYCHIATRY	168	101–258	100	Q1	1.8
79	JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY	170	135–224	100	Q3	1.3
79	Psicologia-Reflexao e Critica	170	118–252	84	Q1	2.5
81	Body Image	173	129–219	100	Q1	4.6
82	JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY	174	133–245	99	Q1	2.4
82	JCPP Advances	174	141–250	100	Q1	2.9
84	ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSING	176	122–240	100	Q2	2.0
85	General Psychiatry	183	139–230	100	Q1	7.1
86	Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing	185	105–237	100	Q1	2.4
87	Sleep Health	187	145–259	100	Q1	2.5
88	BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY	188	142–283	100	Q1	1.9
89	Sleep Science	189	149–234	99	Q3	0.5
89	JMIR AI	189	130–265	100	Q1	5.8
91	PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY-THEORY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE	190	143–285	100	Q2	1.7
92	Evolutionary Human Sciences	191	142–245	68	Q1	2.0
93	AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR	192	134–269	99	Q2	1.9
93	Early Intervention in Psychiatry	192	143–274	99	Q1	1.7
95	JOURNAL OF ANXIETY DISORDERS	196	119–258	98	Q1	3.6
96	CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW	198	157–285	96	Q1	9.9
96	SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY	198	138–300	100	Q1	2.8
98	JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES	200	144–271	35	Q2	0.2
99	BEHAVIOR THERAPY	202	152–263	97	Q1	4.3
99	BEHAVIOUR RESEARCH AND THERAPY	202	126–319	100	Q1	2.8

Median days: half of the journal’s accepted articles took less time from submission to acceptance and half took more. Middle half: the 25th to 75th percentile. Articles: how many recent PubMed articles had both dates. Journals with the same rounded median share a rank.

Median under 30 days. Very short intervals usually reflect how a journal records its dates (for example a new received date after revision) or invited and fast-track article types such as reviews and editorials, not unusually quick peer review. Check the journal’s peer-review policy before reading anything into them.

Showing the 100 fastest of 150 psychology journals. Every journal’s figure is on its own page and in the acceptance times dataset.

Questions about psychology journal acceptance times

Which psychology journals accept papers fastest?

Among the 150 psychology journals with enough PubMed dates, the shortest median times from submission to acceptance (leaving out medians under 30 days, which usually reflect how dates are recorded) are Health Psychology Research (34 days), JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY (38 days), Current Opinion in Psychology (43 days), Lancet Psychiatry (46 days), Behavioral Sciences (55 days). These medians include peer review and revisions, and cover accepted papers only.

How long does a psychology journal take to accept a paper?

The typical psychology journal on this page has a median of 165 days from submission to acceptance. 5 of 150 journals have a median under 60 days and 66 take more than 180 days.

Is this the peer review time?

No. PubMed records when a manuscript was received and when it was accepted, not the individual review stages. The interval includes editorial handling, peer review, revisions and the time authors spent revising, so it is longer than the time to a first decision. For first-decision times, check the journal’s own website.

Does a fast journal mean my paper is more likely to be accepted?

No. Only accepted papers have an acceptance date, so this ranking says nothing about acceptance rates or how quickly a journal rejects papers. A very fast acceptance can also be a sign of light peer review. Check the journal’s scope, indexing and peer-review policy before submitting.

About this data

Source: the received and accepted dates publishers deposit in PubMed, read through the public NCBI E-utilities for articles published 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31, up to 100 recent articles per journal. Data checked 2026-11-03.
A journal is ranked only when at least 20 articles have both dates and at least half of the articles checked have them. Journals that do not deposit dates in PubMed, including most journals outside the life sciences, cannot be ranked here.
The ranking uses each journal’s median: half of its accepted articles took less time and half took more. The middle-half range shows the 25th to 75th percentile.
Fields come from the OpenAlex classification of each journal’s research topics. A journal joins a field when at least two of its four main topics are in it, so a journal can appear in more than one field and some classifications are imperfect.
Quartile and score are the journal’s best OpenAlex subfield quartile and its Journal Metrics Score, shown for context; they play no part in the order.

The full journal-level dataset is in the journal acceptance times study (with a CSV download). Spot an error or a journal whose dates look wrong? Tell us.

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