J Health Soc Behav. 1990 Sep;31(3):217-25; discussion 226-39.

The legacy of stress research. The course and the impact of this journal.

Journal of health and social behavior

R J Johnson, F D Wolinsky

PMID: 2133478

Abstract

The Journal of Health and Social Behavior (JHSB) is examined to determine its relative stature and impact in the social science community. We conducted both empirical comparisons of average impact (based on the Social Science Citation Index) and content analysis. Over an 11-year period beginning in 1977, JHSB has maintained an enviable position among sociology journals, ranking significantly higher than the American Journal of Sociology and Social Forces. In addition, it ranks quite favorably when compared with the dominant journals of the allied social science disciplines. The preeminence of the JHSB is attributed to the legacy of stress research that was perceived to dominate this period. Ironically, the recently mandated change in editorial goals eschewing such an identification with stress research has begun to undermine the overall stature of the journal, primarily by reducing the impact of articles on stress that appear in it. We discuss the mechanisms that have influenced the course and the impact of this journal.

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MeSH terms

• Evaluation Studies as Topic
• Humans
• Periodicals as Topic / standards
• Periodicals as Topic / statistics & numerical data
• Periodicals as Topic / trends
• Research / standards
• Research / trends
• Stress, Psychological*

Publication Types

• Comparative Study
• Journal Article
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Grant support

• K04 AG00328/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
• R01 DA02497/DA/NIDA NIH HHS/United States
• R01 DA04310/DA/NIDA NIH HHS/United States

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