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Is there a need for another sleep journal?
1Sleep Research Project, Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, 202 Psychology Bldg, Memphis, TN 38152-3230, USA. lichstein@mail.psyc.memphis.edu
Objectives:
A new sleep journal, Behavioral Sleep Medicine (BSM), will publish its first issue shortly. This journal is interested in the application of behavioral/cognitive science to the study of normal and disordered sleep. I review the historical background leading to the creation of this journal and then focus on the justification for starting this journal.
Methods:
The justification is mainly based on the availability and distribution of behavioral sleep medicine (bsm) research. We conducted a content analysis of sleep and nonsleep journals.
Results:
We found that 17% of articles published in mainstream sleep journals relate to bsm. Most (75%) of the bsm literature is distributed among a large number of nonsleep journals, detracting from the visibility of bsm.
Conclusion:
BSM is needed to provide a focal point for this large but dispersed literature. Those who prize the field of bsm covet the aspiration that the journal will serve as a beacon stimulating clinical interest and scientific progress in this area.