The First Step Toward Change Is Awareness

Editorial Policy

Last Updated: February 2026

Our Commitment

Psychology Diary is dedicated to delivering practical, accurate, and accessible mental health and relationship information. This editorial policy outlines how we create, verify, and maintain our content to serve you better.

Editorial Team & Approach

Our editorial team focuses on delivering research-backed information over individual credentials. We believe the quality and verifiability of our content matters more than the letters after anyone’s name.

We prioritize:

  • Practical applicability over academic complexity
  • Evidence-based guidance over pop psychology trends
  • Clear, accessible language over clinical jargon
  • Honest transparency about our process and limitations

Content Creation Process

Every article on Psychology Diary follows a six-step verification system:

1. Research

Before any article is written, we research the topic using authoritative sources:

  • Professional organizations (American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Counseling Association)
  • Government agencies (National Institute of Mental Health, SAMHSA, CDC, NIH)
  • International bodies (World Health Organization, International Association for Suicide Prevention)
  • Peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Clinical Psychology, Journal of Marriage and Family, Psychological Bulletin)
  • Advocacy organizations (NAMI, Mental Health America, National Domestic Violence Hotline)
  • Evidence-based therapy frameworks (CBT, DBT, ACT, attachment theory research)

2. Content Development

Our team uses AI-assisted writing tools (primarily Google Gemini) for initial research, drafting, and formatting. We’re transparent about this because we believe you deserve to know how your information is created.

AI tools help us:

  • Synthesize large amounts of research efficiently
  • Maintain consistency in structure and tone
  • Generate multiple approaches to common mental health challenges
  • Format content clearly and accessibly

3. Fact Verification

Every article undergoes human editorial review before publication. We verify:

  • Mental health information against current DSM-5-TR criteria and clinical guidelines
  • Relationship advice against peer-reviewed couples and family therapy research
  • Therapeutic techniques against evidence-based practice standards
  • Statistics and prevalence data against NIMH, WHO, and CDC publications
  • Crisis resource information (hotline numbers, websites) for accuracy
  • Safety warnings about potentially harmful practices or misinformation

4. Plain Language Review

We review every piece of content to ensure:

  • Complex psychological concepts are explained in everyday language
  • Clinical terms (CBT, attachment style, cognitive distortion, rumination) are defined when first introduced
  • Instructions are clear, specific, and actionable
  • Content is accessible to readers of all backgrounds and education levels

5. Source Citation

Articles include citations to authoritative organizations and resources. We link to:

  • Government agencies and official publications
  • Professional organization guidelines
  • Peer-reviewed research summaries
  • Crisis resources and helplines

This allows readers to verify our information and dive deeper into topics of interest.

6. Regular Review & Updates

Mental health research and clinical guidelines evolve. We review and update our content:

  • Clinical content — Reviewed when major diagnostic or treatment guidelines change (e.g., DSM updates, new APA practice guidelines)
  • Crisis resources — Verified quarterly to ensure hotline numbers and URLs are current
  • Research-based content — Reviewed annually or when significant new meta-analyses are published
  • Evergreen guides — Reviewed every 12–18 months
  • Immediate corrections — Updated as soon as errors are discovered
  • Safety-critical content — Corrected within 24 hours when errors are identified

Use of Artificial Intelligence

We use AI tools (primarily Google Gemini) for:

  • Research assistance and source gathering
  • Article drafting and content development
  • Formatting and structural organization
  • Generating alternative approaches to common mental health challenges

All AI-generated content undergoes human editorial review for:

  • Factual accuracy against authoritative sources
  • Practical applicability in real-world situations
  • Safety considerations and appropriate crisis warnings
  • Sensitivity and tone in discussing mental health topics
  • Logical flow and completeness
  • Current alignment with clinical best practices

We believe AI is a powerful tool that helps us create content more efficiently, but human oversight remains essential to ensure quality, accuracy, and real-world usefulness — especially when discussing mental health.

Quality Standards

Every piece of content must meet these standards:

Accuracy

  • Information verified against peer-reviewed research and professional clinical guidelines
  • Mental health information aligned with current diagnostic criteria and evidence-based treatments
  • Crisis resources verified and up to date
  • Common myths and misconceptions addressed and corrected

Practicality

  • Strategies designed for real people in real-life situations
  • Multiple approaches for different personalities, relationships, and circumstances
  • Time and effort requirements realistically described
  • Alternative strategies when the “ideal” approach isn’t feasible

Sensitivity

  • Mental health topics discussed with compassion and without stigma
  • Content avoids pathologizing normal human experiences
  • Crisis resources included where appropriate
  • Language reviewed for inclusivity and cultural sensitivity

What We Cover

In Scope

  • General mental health education (anxiety, depression, stress, emotional regulation)
  • Relationship skills (communication, conflict resolution, attachment styles)
  • Family dynamics and parenting strategies
  • Marriage and partnership guidance
  • Personal growth and self-improvement
  • Therapy-informed coping techniques (CBT, DBT, mindfulness)
  • Life transitions (career changes, grief, major decisions)

Out of Scope

  • Personalized therapy or clinical diagnosis
  • Medication recommendations or psychiatric prescribing advice
  • Crisis intervention (we provide resources, not direct crisis support)
  • Legal advice (custody, divorce proceedings, restraining orders)
  • Medical advice beyond general mental health education

Corrections Policy

We take accuracy seriously. If we discover an error:

  1. We correct it immediately
  2. We add a dated correction note at the bottom of the article
  3. For significant errors affecting mental health guidance, we add a prominent notice at the top
  4. For safety-related errors (incorrect crisis resources, harmful advice), we correct within 24 hours

Found an error? Please contact us at corrections@psychologydiary.com

We aim to investigate and respond to all corrections within 72 hours.

Transparency & Disclosures

Affiliate Relationships

Psychology Diary may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links in our articles. These commissions help support our content creation at no additional cost to you.

Our affiliate policy:

  • Affiliate relationships never influence our editorial recommendations
  • We only link to products we’ve researched and would recommend regardless of compensation
  • We include both affiliate and non-affiliate links in our content
  • We disclose affiliate relationships here and may include additional disclosures in individual articles

See our Advertiser Disclosure for full details.

Editorial Independence

Our editorial team maintains independence in:

  • Topic selection based on reader needs and search trends
  • Research and fact-checking processes
  • Product recommendations and reviews
  • Content updates and corrections

Business relationships do not influence editorial decisions.

Contact & Feedback

Your input helps us improve. Contact us for:

About Our Organization

Psychology Diary is operated by Inedit Agency S.R.L., based in Bucharest, Romania.

This editorial policy reflects our commitment to transparency, accuracy, and serving you — our readers — with practical, trustworthy mental health and relationship guidance for real life.