Journal of Pediatric Ethics

All contributions to the Journal of Pediatric Ethics will be peer reviewed with the understanding that the submission has not been placed under consideration, accepted for publication, or in print elsewhere. Decisions of acceptance or rejection will be based on peer review recommendations and at the discretion of the editorial group. All authors of accepted material will be required to assign copyright to the publisher prior to release.

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Article Types

All articles undergo peer review except letters to the editor.

Feature Articles: Original research, review, or theoretical bioethical articles that provide a detailed report on original, empirical research findings, including methodology, results, and discussion. Review articles that provide a comprehensive overview, analysis, and synthesis of previously published literature on a specific topic, often identifying gaps in knowledge. For empirical research and reviews there should be a scientific abstract with methods and results section. For theoretical articles a narrative abstract is sufficient. Feature articles should be 5000 words or less.

Case Reports: Articles featuring a novel clinical ethics case are welcomed. These articles must be anonymized sufficiently of all identifying data or consent from the subject of the study. Case reports should present the case, followed by an analysis section, recommendations, and conclusion involving the outcome. Narrative abstract required. Case reports should be less than 2500 words.

Ask the Ethicist: These articles focus on a specific question, not necessarily a clinical ethics consult. Two to three authors are preferred to represent different perspectives on the question. These articles should present the question following by background as well as analysis. Differing perspectives from the authors if present should be clearly demarcated. Narrative abstract required. These articles should be less than 2500 words.

Clinical Narrative: Clinical narratives present the lived experience of clinicians or reflexive exploration through another’s perspective. These articles should be narrative in nature exploring the lived experience of clinicians from their own perspective to highlight the ethical issues involved in caregiving. For reflexive exploration of other perspectives, reflexivity will be highly scrutinized by editorial staff and reviewers. Artwork is welcome. These articles should be 1500 words or less.

Family Voice: Family voice offers parents and caregivers a chance to present their perspectives navigating healthcare. These should focus on a particular experience or issue. Articles should be from personal experience centered on the writer. They should be written in short story or narrative style. Narrative abstract required. Articles should be less than 1500 words.