Editor’s Vale Dictum: American Psychologist 2016–2021

Abstract

It has been a great honor to serve as the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of American Psychologist (AP) for the past 6 years. The ending of my editorial term (subsequently referred to as “the current editorial term/team”) is an opportunity to reflect on many activities and accomplishments of the journal and its impact over these years. This vale dictum, or editorial farewell, is organized in four sections. The first looks at how the current editorial term fits within the mission and history of AP and describes significant changes enacted during this editorial era intended to further advance the scholarly impact of AP as a leading journal in the field of psychology. Second, the article is a record of the editorial metrics of the journal, noting our performance and accomplishments in terms of traditional measures of journal impact, such as number of submissions, editorial lag, and Impact Factors. This report serves as a historical record of our publication activities. Third, this article provides ideas about how our editorial processes and content reflected changes in psychology, publishing, the American Psychological Association (APA), and most importantly the broader social context in which we live. And, finally, I conclude by expressing my deep appreciation to the many people who have contributed to the successes of AP throughout my editorial term.