Journal information

The Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research (HRRI) is an international scientific journal that publishes original research articles, review papers, preliminary reports, professional papers, and other contributions. The journal is intended for researchers, professionals, and practitioners involved in education, rehabilitation, speech and language pathology, social pedagogy, public health, and related interdisciplinary fields. Topics include:

Development and Functional Difficulties

• Cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional aspects of development and related difficulties
• Communication, language, and speech–voice development and associated difficulties

Assessment, Support, Education, and Rehabilitation

• Speech and language pathology, special education and rehabilitation, and social pedagogy assessment/diagnostics
• Inclusive and supportive approaches to education and rehabilitation
• Support, therapy, and intervention

Prevention and Social Inclusion

• Prevention of behavioural problems and promotion of mental health
• Criminological and other approaches to social integration/inclusion

Interdisciplinary and Public Health Perspectives

• Related topics in biomedicine and health, social sciences, humanities, technical sciences, and interdisciplinary areas (science, art)
• Research focused on quality of life and well-being of vulnerable groups and relevant stakeholders

Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research is an international, peer-reviewed journal published exclusively online, twice a year (June and December). Each issue publishes approximately 8–12 peer-reviewed research articles. In addition to regular issues, the journal occasionally publishes thematic (special) issues.

eISSN: 1848-7734
pISSN: 1331-3010 (print edition discontinued)

Publisher: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences
https://www.erf.unizg.hr

Open access

Submission and publication fees

Journal funding

Peer review

Ethics and Publication Policies

The Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research (HRRI) is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics and transparency and follows internationally recognised ethical guidelines and best practices in scholarly publishing.

Contents

1. Principles of Transparency and Best Practice
2. Protection of Vulnerable Groups and Individuals
3. Publication Ethics Policies
   • Authorship and Contributions
   • Conflicts of Interest
   • Handling Complaints, Appeals and Allegations of Research Misconduct
4. Data Sharing, Reproducibility and Plagiarism
5. Ethical Oversight
6. Intellectual Property
7. Post-Publication Discussion
8. Corrections, Clarifications and Retractions

1. Principles of Transparency and Best Practice

The ethical code of the editorial board of the Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research (HRRI) is based on documents, recommendations, and guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE – Committee on Publication Ethics), as well as national guidelines (Ethical Code of the Committee for Ethics in Science and Higher Education, Ethical Code for Research with Children).

The Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, WAME, 2022) outline ethical and transparent publishing practices. Key principles include clear website information, copyright and licensing policies, publication ethics, peer-review processes, access details, ownership transparency, information on the editorial team, and business practices. The guidelines emphasise integrity, accessibility, and inclusivity in scholarly publishing.

The Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research (HRRI) adheres to principles of transparency and best practice in scholarly publishing, applicable to all types of published content, including special issues and conference proceedings.

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for all published information and must communicate any deviations from established practice, detailing the procedures to ensure transparency. Editorial decisions must be based solely on scientific merit, without prejudice regarding nationality, ethnicity, political beliefs, gender identity, race, or religion.

The publisher and editorial board are responsible for promoting accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusivity in all aspects of publishing within the scientific and professional community.

The editorial board of HRRI updates journal policies as needed in line with contemporary scientific and professional developments.

2. Protection of Vulnerable Groups and Individuals

Research presented in submitted manuscripts must have received ethical approval from a competent institution. Authors must be prepared to provide documentation upon request by the HRRI Editorial Board. Informed consent must be obtained from all participants or their guardians. When consent is not obtained, authors must clearly explain the reasons.

Research involving vulnerable groups must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki (WMA Declaration of Helsinki – Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants, 2024) and follow COPE guidance.

The principles of the Declaration of Helsinki require, among other things, that vulnerable populations receive special protection from the editorial board. In accordance with COPE recommendations, editors may verify:

• whether the research aligns with contemporary scientific standards and contributes meaningfully to knowledge;
• whether potential ethical risks have been minimised (editors may request clarification);
• whether benefits outweigh potential harm;
• in cases of legal or regulatory ambiguity, authors may be asked to provide a letter from a relevant ethics committee.

Official guidelines:

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org/guidance/Guidelines
• Declaration of Helsinki (WMA): https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/

3. Publication Ethics Policies

Authorship and Contributions

Authorship of a scientific or professional paper confirms that each individual possesses the appropriate qualifications and responsibility for the research within the relevant field. It is important to reach an agreement on authorship before the research begins to avoid misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations. Authorship should result from an agreement among all authors of the paper.

According to the Committee for Ethics in Science and Higher Education (OEZVO, 2006), authorship requires participation in:

(A) Development of the research idea, concept, and design;

(B) Data collection and processing or interpretation of results;

(C) Writing or critically revising the manuscript and approving the final version.

Each author must meet at least one criterion from each category and be able to defend the intellectual content of the publication (D).

Any deliberate misrepresentation of a researcher’s association with a paper is unethical behaviour that undermines trust in the reporting of the work itself (Elsevier, 2017).

Unacceptable forms of authorship include ghost authors, guest authors, honorary (gift) authors, and authorship misattribution. Minimal contributions such as statistical advice or informal reviewing should be acknowledged (with permission), but not rewarded with authorship.

Conflicts of Interest

All scientific research must be carried out and reported transparently and objectively. A conflict of interest arises when any person involved in the publication process has interests that may compromise these principles. Conflicts may be actual or potential.

To prevent conflicts of interest: (a) authors must disclose financial support; (b) reviewers must not be involved in the research or have personal relationships with the authors; (c) editorial board members submitting a manuscript to HRRI are excluded from all decisions regarding that submission.

4. Handling Complaints, Appeals and Allegations of Research Misconduct

The Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research (HRRI) accepts complaints and appeals related to editorial decisions, the peer-review process, ethical matters, or the professional conduct of editors, reviewers, and authors. Complaints are received via the official email address and are considered impartially, confidentially, and within a reasonable timeframe.

The journal takes all reports of research misconduct seriously, including plagiarism, data fabrication, false authorship, and breaches of ethical standards. The Editor-in-Chief conducts a preliminary assessment and undertakes appropriate measures in accordance with COPE guidelines, ensuring protection of the whistle-blower and transparent communication with the scientific community.

5. Data Sharing, Reproducibility and Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes the unauthorised use of ideas, data, or text, including paraphrasing and self-plagiarism. All submissions are checked using Turnitin. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism or duplication will not be considered for publication.

The permitted use of up to 10% of text applies only to specific situations (e.g., theses) and solely to sections describing results, participants, or measurement instruments. Similarities are not allowed in the introduction, discussion, or conclusion.

Authors must obtain permission for the use of copyrighted material and ensure sufficient data availability to allow reproducibility and verification.

6. Ethical Oversight

The Editor-in-Chief investigates all complaints regarding breaches of ethical standards and takes appropriate measures, including communication with authors or referral to relevant institutions. Publication of contested manuscripts may be suspended until a decision is reached.

7. Intellectual Property

Authors retain copyright for articles published in HRRI and grant the journal the right of first publication. The journal does not accept previously published or simultaneously submitted manuscripts. Authors are responsible for lawful use of third-party materials.

8. Post-Publication Discussion

The Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research encourages scientific dialogue. Readers may submit professional comments or responses to published articles. Authors are granted the right to reply. The editorial board moderates all submissions according to professional standards.

9. Corrections, Clarifications and Retractions

The Editor-in-Chief and editorial board are committed to ensuring the accuracy and reliability of published content. The journal may publish corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Retracted articles remain accessible in the archive but are clearly marked as retracted with an explanation. Authors are required to cooperate fully in post-publication procedures.