World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Journal of Marriage and Family
H-index 28

Journal of Marriage and Family

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Social Sciences and Humanities 82 52 70 21
Psychology 364 74 95 18

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 133
Documents by Best Scientists*: 153
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 2
SCIMAGO H-index: 190
SCIMAGO SJR: 1.609
Impact Factor: 3.4

Overview

Top Research Topics at Journal of Marriage and Family?

Journal of Marriage and Family focuses largely on the fields of Social psychology, Developmental psychology, Demography, Family life and Gender studies. The main emphasis of Journal of Marriage and Family is the research on Social psychology, emphasizing the topic of Interpersonal relationship. Journal of Marriage and Family explores topics in Developmental psychology which can be helpful for research in disciplines like Longitudinal study, Human sexuality and Well-being.

The journal addresses concerns in Demography which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Developed country, Fertility, Marital status, Socioeconomic status and Cohabitation.

  • Social psychology (32.19%)
  • Developmental psychology (31.30%)
  • Demography (12.86%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Measuring Dyadic Adjustment: new scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads (5876 citations)
  • Measuring Intrafamily Conflict and Violence: The Conflict Tactics (CT) Scales (5410 citations)
  • Childhood and Society (3913 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Journal of Marriage and Family:

The published articles explore disciplines such as Developmental psychology, Social psychology, Family life, Demography and Interpersonal relationship. The most cited articles address concerns in the field of Developmental psychology by exploring it in line with topics in Well-being which intersect with Mental health subjects. While Social psychology is the key highlight in the most cited publications, thet also covered some subjects on Suicide prevention and Occupational safety and health.

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

  • Law
  • World War II
  • Social psychology

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The primary areas of discussion in Journal of Marriage and Family are Developmental psychology, Demographic economics, Demography, Inequality and Cohabitation. It holds forums on Developmental psychology that merges themes from other disciplines such as Pregnancy and Dyadic data. While work presented in Journal of Marriage and Family provided substantial information on Demographic economics, it also covered topics in Spouse and Unemployment.

While Demography is the focus of the journal, it also provided insights into the studies of Fertility and White (horse). The journal focuses on Cohabitation but the discussions also offer insight into other areas such as Family structure and Ethnic group. While it focused on Well-being, it was also able to explore topics like Social psychology and Clinical psychology.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Social Relationships and Loneliness in Late Adulthood: Disparities by Sexual Orientation (7 citations)
  • Work Schedule Unpredictability: Daily Occurrence and Effects on Working Parents' Well‐Being (5 citations)
  • Familial Incarceration, Social Role Combinations, and Mental Health Among African American Women (4 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 Journal of Marriage and Family (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Paul R. Amato (49 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Rand D. Conger (35 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Alan Booth (30 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Wendy D. Manning (28 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
  • Jay Teachman (26 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 Journal of Marriage and Family (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Pennsylvania State University (169 papers) published 5 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Texas at Austin (114 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 4 less than at the previous edition,
  • University of Michigan (100 papers) published 6 papers at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition,
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (85 papers) published 5 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • Ohio State University (85 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, 0.99% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 25.00% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 12.00% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 21.00% of all publications and 42.00% 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.

Career Paths Related to Topics of Journal of Marriage and Family

If you are interested in the research topics covered in the Journal of Marriage and Family, you may be wondering how you can directly apply this knowledge in a professional setting. One such career path that utilizes this knowledge is becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist. This professional role involves helping individuals, couples, and families navigate emotional and psychological challenges and fostering healthier relationships.

As a Marriage and Family Therapist, you would dive deeper into themes found within Social and Developmental Psychology, Demography, Family Life, and Gender Studies. In this career, it is essential to have strong interpersonal skills and a thorough understanding of family systems theory, as well as to be updated on the latest research in these areas.

If this career path interests you, and you are based in Ohio or considering the state for your career, we recommend reading our guide titled How to become a marriage and family therapist in Ohio for insights and guidance on education requirements, licensing, and potential job opportunities.

Remember, knowledge gained from areas covered in the Journal of Marriage and Family can truly make a difference in people's lives when applied in a professional context such as Marriage and Family Therapy.

Top Publications

  • Ethnic–Racial Socialization in the Family: A Decade's Advance on Precursors and Outcomes

    Adriana J. Umaña‐Taylor;Nancy E. Hill

    (2020)
    346 Citations
  • The evolution of fathering research in the 21st century: Persistent challenges, new directions.

    Sarah J. Schoppe‐Sullivan;Jay Fagan

    (2020)
    302 Citations
  • Cohabitation and Marriage: Complexity and Diversity in Union-Formation Patterns

    Sharon Sassler;Daniel T. Lichter

    (2020)
    300 Citations
  • Work and Family in the Second Decade of the 21st Century

    Maureen Perry-Jenkins;Naomi Gerstel

    (2020)
    262 Citations
  • Families in Later Life: A Decade in Review

    Deborah Carr;Rebecca L Utz

    (2020)
    216 Citations
  • A Decade of Research on Intergenerational Ties: Technological, Economic, Political, and Demographic Changes

    Karen L. Fingerman;Meng Huo;Kira S. Birditt

    (2020)
    186 Citations
  • Research on Marital Satisfaction and Stability in the 2010s: Challenging Conventional Wisdom.

    Benjamin R. Karney;Thomas N. Bradbury

    (2020)
    161 Citations
  • Family Matters: Research on Family Ties and Health, 2010-2020.

    Debra Umberson;Mieke Beth Thomeer

    (2020)
    151 Citations
  • Degrees of Change: An Assessment of the Deinstitutionalization of Marriage Thesis

    Andrew J. Cherlin

    (2020)
    138 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For those interested in expanding their expertise beyond a traditional Psychology degree, a variety of related online programs can help tailor your career to specific areas of interest. Pursuing an art therapy programs offers a unique blend of psychology and creative expression, perfect for individuals passionate about healing through artistic methods.

If you are drawn to social justice and community support, an online masters in social work provides essential skills for helping diverse populations overcome challenges and improve their well-being. Alternatively, an online masters in psychology offers a versatile foundation that can lead to careers in research, counseling, or organizational psychology.

For those specifically interested in therapeutic roles, pursuing a masters degree in counseling online can prepare you for licensure and clinical practice in mental health counseling. These pathways highlight the flexibility and breadth of psychology-related careers available through online education in the USA.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal