Conflict of Interest Policy

The editorial board of the journal Socialization and Human Development places particular emphasis on the prevention of conflicts of interest at all stages of the editorial process.

A conflict of interest arises when personal, professional, financial, or institutional interests may influence, or give the appearance of influencing, the objectivity of the preparation, peer review, or editorial decision-making with regard to a scholarly work.

The journal adheres to the principles of transparency and ethical responsibility in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics.

Declaration of Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors are obligated to disclose any potential or actual conflicts of interest.

Authors must:

• indicate all sources of funding for the research;
• disclose any financial or non-financial interests that may influence the research findings;
• submit a declaration regarding the absence or presence of a conflict of interest at the time of manuscript submission.

Reviewers must:

• notify the editorial board of any circumstances that may affect the impartiality of the review;
• decline to conduct a review in cases where a conflict of interest exists.

Editors must:

• refrain from participating in the editorial review of manuscripts in which they have a personal or professional interest;
• transfer such manuscripts to another member of the editorial board.

Declaration Procedure

Information regarding a conflict of interest must be:

• disclosed by authors in the cover letter or in the relevant section of the manuscript;
• declared by reviewers upon acceptance of the invitation to review;
• documented by editors in the event that relevant circumstances arise.

Conflict of Interest Resolution Procedure

In cases where a potential or actual conflict of interest is identified, the editorial board of the journal applies the following measures:

1. Analysis of the information provided by the parties concerned.
2. Where necessary, a request for additional explanations or supporting documents.
3. Transfer of the manuscript to another independent editor or reviewer.
4. Adoption of an editorial decision taking into account the information received.

In complex cases, the editorial board may consult the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics.

Supporting Documents

The following may be used to confirm the absence or presence of a conflict of interest:

• author declarations;
• information on sources of funding;
• official statements from institutions or organisations;
• other documents confirming the relevant circumstances.

Decision-Making

The final decision regarding the resolution of a conflict of interest is made by the editorial board of the journal.

Depending on the circumstances, the following decisions are possible:

• continuation of the editorial process without modification;
• appointment of a new reviewer or editor;
• disclosure of the conflict of interest information within the published article;
• rejection of the manuscript;
• publication of a correction or retraction of the article.