World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
British Journal of Psychiatry
H-index 46

British Journal of Psychiatry

0007-1250

Published by: Cambridge University Press

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Psychology 64 298 252 38
Medicine 379 280 272 40

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 703
Documents by Best Scientists*: 508
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 33
SCIMAGO H-index: 264
SCIMAGO SJR: 2.471
Impact Factor: 7.6

Overview

Top Research Topics at British Journal of Psychiatry?

The discussions in British Journal of Psychiatry mainly cover the fields of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, Clinical psychology, Psychotherapist and Depression (differential diagnoses). It holds forums on Psychiatry that merges themes from other disciplines such as Injury prevention and Suicide prevention. Suicide prevention and Medical emergency are closely related fields of research discussed in it.

Topics in Medical emergency explored in British Journal of Psychiatry were investigated in conjunction with research in Occupational safety and health and Human factors and ergonomics.

  • Psychiatry (32.53%)
  • Psychoanalysis (9.81%)
  • Clinical psychology (8.09%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. (10015 citations)
  • Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. (8340 citations)
  • A rating scale for mania: reliability, validity and sensitivity. (6128 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at British Journal of Psychiatry:

The published papers are mainly concerned with subjects like Psychiatry, Clinical psychology, Depression (differential diagnoses), Schizophrenia and Mental health. Issues in Psychiatry were discussed in the published papers, taking into consideration concepts from other disciplines like Injury prevention, Suicide prevention and Risk factor. The journal papers hold forums on Depression (differential diagnoses) that merge themes from other disciplines such as Internal medicine and Randomized controlled trial.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Internal medicine
  • Disease
  • Diabetes mellitus

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The topics of Psychiatry, Mental health, Depression (differential diagnoses), Clinical psychology and Schizophrenia are the focal point of discussions in the journal. The research on Psychiatry discussed in British Journal of Psychiatry draws on the closely related field of MEDLINE. The research on Mental health tackled can also make contributions to studies in the areas of Pandemic and Health care.

The Depression (differential diagnoses) works featured in the journal incorporate elements from Intervention (counseling), Psychological intervention and Anxiety. The studies in Schizophrenia featured incorporate elements of Psychosis and Internal medicine. Concepts in Autism, as well as related topics in Mental Health Act, are covered in the Intellectual disability research presented in British Journal of Psychiatry.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing study. (171 citations)
  • Mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two longitudinal UK population cohorts. (59 citations)
  • Efficacy of interventions to reduce coercive treatment in mental health services: umbrella review of randomised evidence. (34 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in British Journal of Psychiatry (based on the number of publications) are:

  • M. Hamblin Smith (608 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Havelock Ellis (279 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Stanley M. Coleman (192 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • William W. Ireland (182 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Wm. McWilliam (145 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in British Journal of Psychiatry (based on the number of publications) are:

  • King's College London (420 papers) published 13 papers at the last edition, 10 less than at the previous edition,
  • Royal College of Psychiatrists (356 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
  • University College London (195 papers) published 10 papers at the last edition, 8 less than at the previous edition,
  • University of Bristol (143 papers) published 4 papers at the last edition, 2 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Cambridge (142 papers) published 5 papers at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 43.09% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 39.25% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 8.41% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 22.43% of all publications and 29.91% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Potential Career Paths Related to Research Topics

For aspiring researchers or clinical psychologists who are interested in the subjects discussed in the British Journal of Psychiatry, it's important to note that each of these topics has potential career paths associated with them. If you are particularly interested in Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, Clinical Psychology, or any of the other topics frequently discussed, you may wish to consider a career in those areas. Psychoanalysis, Clinical Psychology, and other research topics require specialized education and licensing for practice. In order to practice as a Behavior Analyst, for example, specific credentials such as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification are necessary. This field involves implementing and evaluating environmental modifications, using behavioral stimuli and consequences, to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior. Those interested in pursuing this as a career and wondering how to get started can find more information on how to become a BCBA in this guide. The path to these careers typically involves a combination of specialized education, hands-on experience, and often specific licensure or certification. As you read the British Journal of Psychiatry and explore the latest research in these areas, consider if they align with your interests and potential career goals. The work you do in these fields could ultimately contribute to the important studies being discussed in future editions of the journal.

Top Publications

  • Mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing study.

    Rory C O’Connor;Karen Wetherall;Seonaid Cleare;Heather McClelland

    (2021)
    1046 Citations
  • Mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two longitudinal UK population cohorts.

    Alex S F Kwong;Rebecca M Pearson;Mark J Adams;Kate Northstone

    (2021)
    519 Citations
  • The prevalence of personality disorders in the community: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

    Catherine Winsper;Ayten Bilgin;Andrew David Thompson;Steven Marwaha

    (2020)
    318 Citations
  • Abuse, self-harm and suicidal ideation in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Eleonora Iob;Andrew Steptoe;Daisy Fancourt

    (2020)
    312 Citations
  • Child and adolescent mental health amidst emergencies and disasters.

    Andrea Danese;Patrick Smith;Prathiba Chitsabesan;Bernadka Dubicka

    (2020)
    198 Citations
  • Anorexia nervosa: 30-year outcome.

    Sandra Rydberg Dobrescu;Lisa DInkler;Carina I Gillberg;Maria Råstam

    (2020)
    183 Citations
  • Incidence and outcomes of eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic

    PJ Harrison;M Taquet;J Geddes;S Luciano

    (2021)
    176 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Exploring alternatives to traditional medical school can open up diverse career opportunities in healthcare. For those interested in nutrition, pursuing a dietetic masters programs offers specialized training to become a registered dietitian, blending science with patient care.

Healthcare support roles remain essential within medical teams. Students seeking entry-level experience might consider programs that provide financial aid for medical assistant programs, making education more accessible while preparing for administrative and clinical duties.

For certified medical assistants aiming to advance their qualifications, the ma to lpn bridge program offers a streamlined path to becoming a licensed practical nurse. This progression enhances clinical responsibilities and job prospects.

Additionally, earning a bs in biology online is a solid foundation for various medical and research careers. This flexible format supports accelerated learning for students balancing other commitments.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal