Global Research in Clinical Psychology Domain: A Scientometric Assessment Based on Web of Science

Table 1 and Figure 1 present the chronological distribution of clinical psychology publications produced globally from 1989 to 2023. It can be depicted that the maximum no. of publication have been produced during the year 2021 i.e., 14737 (5.324%), followed by 2019 (14141, 5.109%), and 2020 (13049, 4.714%). The lowest number of publications was produced in 1989, i.e., 3713 (1.341%). Though fluctuations in the data have been observed throughout the time frame, the noticeable no. of publications drop after the year 2019 could be attributed to several potential factors such as many research activities being disrupted due to lockdowns, which affected data collection, participant recruitment, and overall research progress.

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Figure 1: Chronological Distribution of the Global publications in Clinical Psychology

Funding and research priorities shifted to address the pandemic, which may have diverted attention and resources away from clinical psychology research. The peer review and publication process itself may have experienced delays due to the increased volume of submissions related to COVID-19 and the adjustments made by journals and publishers to handle the crisis.

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Figure 1.1: Chronological Distribution of the Indian Publications in Clinical Psychology

The chronological distribution of the Indian publications is visible in figure 1.1. The maximum no. of papers produced in the year 2021 (107 papers), followed by 2022 (103), and 2023 (90), with least number of publications in 1991 (2 publications). No publications have been produced during 1992 from India in the field of clinical psychology reason being that Web of Science may not have comprehensive coverage of all journals, especially older ones. Some journals from 1992 might not be included in their database or might not have been indexed at that time.

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Table 1 and Figure 1.3 represent the relative growth rate and doubling time of the global publications in clinical psychology. It can be depicted that the Relative Growth Rate of publications has decreased from 0.772 in 1990 to 0.045 in 2023.

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Figure 1.3: Relative Growth Rate and Doubling time of publications

On the other hand the Doubling time for the publications has been increased from 0.082 in 1990 to 1.410 in 2023. Both the RGR and Doubling time show fluctuations in between. The mean RGR is least during the time-frame 2019-2023 i.e., 0.056 and maximum during 1989-1992 i.e., 0.345. The mean doubling time for the publications is maximum during the years 2019 to 2023 i.e., 1.163 while it is minimum during the years 1989 to 1992 i.e., 0.143. This also depicts that the RGR is inversely proportional to the doubling time.

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Table 2: Type of Publications

Sr. no.	Type of Publications	Publication count	% of Count
1	Article	194310	70.199
2	Meeting Abstract	33218	12.001
3	Book Review	16062	5.803
4	Review Article	12309	4.447
5	Editorial Material	12165	4.395
6	Proceeding Paper	6694	2.418
7	Letter	4036	1.458
8	Note	1206	0.436
9	Biographical-Item	545	0.197
10	Book Chapters	407	0.147
11	News Item	221	0.080
12	Item About an Individual	109	0.039
13	Bibliography	88	0.032
14	Software Review	43	0.016
15	Retracted Publication	40	0.014
	Others (13)

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Table 2 and figure 2 represents the type of publications produced in the clinical psychology domain. A total of 28 document types have been recorded including articles, book reviews, abstracts, review papers, editorials, proceeding papers, letters, notes, biographical items, book chapters, news items, retracted publications, and many more.

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Figure 2: Type of publications

The maximum no. of publications has been produced in the form of articles i.e., 194310 (70.199%), followed by meeting abstracts i.e., 33218 (12.001%), and book reviews (16062, 5.803).

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Table 3: Top Authors of Clinical Psychology

Rank	Top Authors	Affiliation	Country	Publications	%	h-index
1	Zvolensky Michael J	University of Houston	USA	465	0.168	71
2	Traussnig Bernhard	Voestalpine AG	Austria	443	0.16	38
3	Petermann Franz	University of Bremen	Germany	398	0.144	53
4	Brahler Elmar	University of Leipzig	Germany	374	0.135	82
5	Treasure J	King’s College London	England	344	0.124	99
6	Joiner TE	Florida State University	USA	342	0.124	97
7	Rief Winfried	Philipps University Marburg	Germany	330	0.119	80
8	Schmidt Norman B	Florida State University	USA	317	0.115	69
9	Bulik Cynthia M	University of North Carolina	USA	316	0.114	78
10	Crosby Ross D	Sanford University	USA	287	0.104	90

The top ten writers globally who have contributed the most papers in clinical psychology are shown in Table 3. Zvolensky Michael J from the University of Houston, USA has produced the maximum number of publications i.e., 465 (0.168%, Rank 1) having an h-index value equivalent to 71, followed by Strauss Bernhard from Voestalpine AG, Austria (443 publications, 0.16%, Rank 2) having h-index -38, and Petermann Franz from University of Bremen, Germany having 398 publications (0.144%, Rank 3) having an h-index equal to 53. Brahler Elmar from the University of Leipzig, Germany, possesses Rank 4 contributing (374 publications, 0.135%) and has an h-index value of 83, is found to be the highly cited award recipient from the year 2019–2023, in the subject categories Psychology, Psychiatry, Public, Environmental & Occupational Health and Oncology with 34,860 total citations. Rief Winfried from Philipps University Marburg, Germany (Rank 7, 330 publications, 0.199% publications) also got a highly cited researcher award from the year 2021–2023 in subject categories Psychology, Psychiatry, Neurosciences & Neurology, and Pharmacology & Pharmacy with 30,197 total citations and h-index equal to 80.

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Table 3.1: Top Indian Authors

Indian Rank	Global Rank	Author Name	Affiliation	Papers	%	h-Index
1	72	Andrade Chittaranjan	National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences	159	15.61%	35
2	6381	Ghosh, Abhishek	Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh	21	2.06%	16
3	11111	Basu, Debasish	Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh	14	1.37%	20
4	11306	Dhikav, Vikas	ICMR – National Institute for Implementation Research on Non-Communicable Diseases (NIIRNCD)	14	1.37%	13
5	12025	Sarkar, Siddharth	All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi	14	1.37%	21
6	14402	Kumar, Devarta	National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences – India	12	1.17%	9
7	14537	Mattoo, Surendra K	Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh	12	1.17%	22
8	14853	Sagar, Rajesh	All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi	12	1.17%	67
9	18728	Janardhan Reddy, Y. C.	National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences – India	10	0.98%	42
10	19063	Telles, Shirley	National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences – India	10	0.98%	29

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Table 3.1 lists the leading Indian authors who have made the maximum contributions to clinical psychology, along with their rankings both domestically and globally. Rank 1 is possessed by Andrade Chittaranjan (Global rank 72, h-index 35), affiliated with the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, contributing 159 papers, i.e., 15.61% of the Indian publications followed by Ghosh, Abhishek with rank 2, (Global rank 6381, h-index 16), and Basu, Debasish with rank 3, (Global rank 11111, h-index 20) from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, contributing 21 i.e., 2.06% and 14 i.e., 1.37% publications respectively. Among the top 10 Indian authors 4 authors are affiliated to National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, 3 are affiliated to PGIMER, Chandigarh, 2 are affiliated to AIIMS, New Delhi and 1 is affiliated to ICMR – National Institute for Implementation Research on Non-Communicable Diseases (NIIRNCD).

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Table 4: Top International Affiliations of Clinical Psychology

Rank	Affiliations	Country	Publications	%
1	University of California System	USA	11362	4.188
2	University of London	England	8777	3.235
3	US Department of Veterans Affairs	USA	8092	2.983
4	Harvard University	USA	7970	2.938
5	Veterans Health Administration VHA	USA	7928	2.922
6	Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education (PCSHE)	USA	6685	2.464
7	State University System of Florida	USA	6600	2.433
8	University System of Ohio	USA	6562	2.419
9	King’s College London	England	5102	1.881
10	University of Texas System	USA	4925	1.815

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Table 4 depicts the top most productive international affiliations of clinical psychology. Rank 1 is occupied by University of California System, USA contributing 11362 i.e., 4.18% publications, Rank 2 by University of London, England, with 8777, 3.23% papers and rank 3 by US Department of Veterans Affairs, USA with 8092, i.e., 2.98% publications. Rank 4 is occupied by Harvard University, USA with 7970, i.e., 2.93% publications and rank 5 is occupied by Veterans Health Administration, USA with 7928, i.e., 2.92% publications. Among top 10 most productive affiliations of the world 8 affiliations belong to USA and remaining 2 from England.

The US institutions dominate clinical psychology research due to significant funding, high-quality education, state-of-the-art research facilities, interdisciplinary collaboration, access to prestigious journals and conferences, diverse research opportunities, strong professional networks, and historical leadership. The US also encourages collaboration across disciplines, leading to more comprehensive research outcomes. The US has also been a leader in the development of psychology, with many foundational theories and practices originating from American researchers.

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Table 4.1: Top Indian Affiliations

Indian Rank	World rank	Name of the Affiliation	State	Publications	%
1	507	National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences	Karnataka	249	24.45
2	1193	All India Institute of Medical Sciences	Delhi	63	6.18
3	1751	Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research	Chandigarh	35	3.43
4	1920	Indian Institute of Technology System	West Bengal	31	3.04
5	2256	University of Delhi	Delhi	24	2.35
6	2296	Manipal Academy of Higher Education	Karnataka	23	2.25
7	2514	National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre	Uttar Pradesh	20	1.96
8	2602	Tata Institute of Social Sciences	Maharashtra	19	1.86
9	2636	Christian Medical College Hospital	Tamil Nadu	18	1.76
10	3087	Banaras Hindu University	Uttar Pradesh	14	1.37

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Table 4.1 lists the top affiliations of India contributing maximum research in clinical psychology domain. It can be clearly depicted that the researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Karnataka contributes maximum papers i.e., 249 publications (0.24.45% of the Indian publications), world rank 507. This can conclude to the fact that it is a leading center for mental health research, education, and clinical services in India. Its significant contribution to clinical psychology research is attributed to its specialized focus on mental health and neuroscience, comprehensive facilities, interdisciplinary approach, high volume of clinical cases, government support, advanced training programs, collaborations with national and international research organizations, universities, and healthcare institutions, and a focus on relevant issues in the Indian context. Rank 2 is occupied by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi with 63 publications i.e., 6.18%, and Rank 3 is occupied by Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education Research, Chandigarh, with 35 publications i.e., 3.43%.

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Table 5: Top Journals of Clinical Psychology

Rank	Journal Titles	Publisher	Publications	%	(JCI)
1	Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology	Oxford University Press, United Kingdom	11059	3.995	0.83
2	Journal of Clinical Psychiatry	Physicians Postgraduate Press, United Kingdom	10832	3.913	1.15
3	Psychological Medicine	Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom	8557	3.091	2.36
4	International Psychogeriatrics	Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom	7503	2.711	1.38
5	Addictive Behaviors	Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, Netherlands	6887	2.488	1.34
6	International Journal of Behavioral Medicine	Springer, USA	6515	2.354	0.71
7	Clinical Neuropsychologist	Taylor & Francis Inc, United Kingdom	5887	2.127	1.11
8	Behaviour Research and Therapy	Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, Netherlands	4981	1.799	1.5
9	Archives of Sexual Behavior	Springer, USA	4869	1.759	1.31
10	Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology	Taylor & Francis Inc, U.K	4822	1.742	0.61

JCI = Journal Citation Indicator, recorded from Web of Science.

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Table 5 enlists the top journals in which most research has been published related to clinical psychology topics. Rank 1 is occupied by Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology (JCI = 0.83), published by Oxford University Press, United Kingdom with 11059 i.e., 3.99% publications, rank 2 is occupied by Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (JCI = 1.15), published from Physicians Postgraduate Press, United Kingdom, with 10832 i.e., 3.91% publications, and rank 3 is occupied by Psychological Medicine (JCI = 2.36), published by Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom with 8557 i.e., 3.09% publications. Among the top 10 journals 6 of the journals are published in the UK, 2 from the USA, and the remaining 2 from the Netherlands.

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Table 6: Top Countries Contributing Maximum Research in Clinical Psychology

Rank	Countries/Regions	Publications	%
1	USA	137585	49.706
2	England	25739	9.299
3	Germany	20097	7.260
4	Canada	17900	6.467
5	Australia	15039	5.433
6	Netherlands	10377	3.749
7	Spain	5950	2.150
8	Peoples R China	5009	1.810
9	Italy	4880	1.763
10	Israel	3932	1.421
	India	1018	0.368

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Table 6 enlists the top nations contributing maximum publications in the clinical psychology domain. The USA holds rank 1 contributing 137585 papers i.e., 49.70% of the total, rank 2 is occupied by England contributing 25739 i.e., 9.29% of the total papers, rank 3 is occupied by Germany with 20097 papers, i.e., 7.26%. These nations are followed by Canada and Australia with 17900 (6.46%) and 15039 (5.43%) publications. Due to their robust academic institutions, significant financing, historical roots, multidisciplinary collaboration, worldwide influence, and strong public backing, the United States, England, and Germany are the top three nations in the world for clinical psychology research. Prominent research and academic institutions in these nations, like the University of Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, offer strong academic settings for training and research. A significant amount of funding is provided for psychological research by organizations like the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in Germany, the Medical Research Council (MRC) in the United Kingdom, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States. In these nations, interdisciplinary cooperation enables clinical psychology to interact with other disciplines, such as neuroscience, medicine, and social sciences, producing more thorough and significant research results. Strong professional networks are offered by associations such as the American Psychological Association (APA), the British Psychological Society (BPS), and the German Psychological Society (DGPs), which encourage research, establish ethical guidelines, and assist in the communication of results.

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Table 6.1: Top Collaborating Countries with India

Rank	Country	Collaborated Publications	%
1	USA	203	19.941
2	England	125	12.279
3	Australia	59	5.796
4	Canada	49	4.813
5	Netherlands	40	3.929
6	Peoples R China	39	3.831
7	Italy	36	3.536
8	Brazil	35	3.438
9	Switzerland	34	3.34
10	Germany	31	3.045

Table 6.1 depicts the top collaborating countries with India for contributing publications of clinical psychology. Maximum collaborated publications with India are from the USA i.e., 203 publications (19.94%), followed by England, 125 publications i.e., 12.27%, and Australia with 59 (5.79% publications). By partnering with organizations in these nations, Indian researchers gain access to state-of-the-art techniques, resources, and knowledge that improve the caliber and significance of their work. The fact that English is widely spoken among scholars in these nations makes communication and cooperation easier. Mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and trauma are typically of interest to researchers from these nations, and through cooperative endeavors, they address these problems from several angles and provide appropriate interventions.

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Table 7: Most Cited Papers of Clinical Psychology

Rank	Publication Title	Authors	Journal	Citations	Year
1	The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI): The development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10	Sheehan, DV et al.	Journal of Clinical Psychiatry	18366	1998
2	The structure of negative emotional states – comparison of the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS) with the beck depression and anxiety inventories	Lovibond, PF; Lovibond, SH	Behaviour Research and Therapy	8053	1995
3	Clinical-significance – a statistical approach to defining meaningful change in psychotherapy-research	Jacobson, NS; Truax, P	Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology	7535	1991
4	Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress	Kessler, RC et al.	Psychological Medicine	6741	2002
5	Measuring emotion – the self-assessment mannequin and the semantic differential	Bradley, MM; Lang, PJ	Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry	5814	1994
6	Factor structure of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale	Patton, JH; Stanford, MS; Barratt, ES	Journal of Clinical Psychology	5749	1995
7	Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)	Connor, KM; Davidson, JRT	Depression and Anxiety	5655	2003
8	The Pain Catastrophizing Scale: Development and validation	Sullivan, MJL; Bishop, SR; Pivik, J	Psychological Assessment	5575	1995
9	Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale	Gratz, KL; Roemer, L	Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment	5072	2004
10	Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment	Harper, A; Power, M	Psychological Medicine	4876	1998

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Table 7 presents the top most cited papers during the period of study in the clinical psychology domain. The most cited paper is entitled as “The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)…” (1998) by Sheehan, DV et al is published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry have 18366 citations. This indicates that it has provided significant information or a well accepted approach, as evidenced by the fact that researchers often cite the publication in their own research. It is followed by “The structure of negative emotional states…” (1995) by Lovibond, PF and Lovibond, SH published in Behaviour Research and Therapy have 8053 citations and “Clinical-significance – a statistical approach…” (1991) by Jacobson, NS and Truax, P published in Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology have 7535 citations. Papers with groundbreaking findings, novel methodologies, or significant advancements are often used as foundational references for subsequent research. The paper’s broad applicability, collaboration, and high-quality research enhance its credibility and attracts more citations. Additionally, papers with cross-cultural or global relevance are more likely to be cited by a diverse range of researchers worldwide.

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Table 8: Top Research Areas of Clinical Psychology

Sr. no.	Subject categories	Publications	%
1	Psychology	276800	100.000
2	Psychiatry	92189	33.305
3	Neurosciences Neurology	24283	8.773
4	Substance Abuse	17479	6.315
5	Family Studies	16899	6.105
6	Social Sciences Other Topics	14365	5.190
7	Geriatrics Gerontology	7503	2.711
8	Nutrition Dietetics	5714	2.064
9	Criminology Penology	4324	1.562
10	Pharmacology Pharmacy	4052	1.464
11	Rehabilitation	3732	1.348
12	Public Environmental Occupational Health	2763	0.998
13	Obstetrics Gynecology	1969	0.711
14	Health Care Sciences Services	1694	0.612
15	Education Educational Research	1295	0.468
16	Pediatrics	1135	0.410
17	Biomedical Social Sciences	724	0.262
18	Medical Informatics	563	0.203
19	Behavioral Sciences	412	0.149
20	Science Technology Other Topics	130	0.047
21	Music	61	0.022
22	Toxicology	10	0.004

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Table 8 enlists the subject categories that illustrate the broad scope and interdisciplinary connections of clinical psychology research, highlighting its relevance to a wide range of scientific and applied fields. Maximum publications relate to psychology i.e., 276800 (100%) because this broad category encompasses research that spans various psychological disciplines, including the whole clinical psychology along with others like cognitive, developmental and social psychology. This category is followed by psychiatry with 92189 publications i.e., 33.30%. This field of research focuses on mental health disorders: their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Psychiatry and clinical psychology often intersect, particularly in research about mental health issues and therapeutic approaches. Next comes the Neurosciences and Neurology with 24283 publications, i.e., 8.77% which frequently focuses on the biological causes of psychiatric illnesses. Research in this field may include examinations using neuroimaging, evaluations using neuropsychology, and the effects of neurological disorders on mental health.

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Table 9: Top International Funding Agencies

Rank	Funding Agencies	Country	Funded publications	%
1	United States Department of Health Human Services	USA	31062	11.222
2	National Institutes of Health	USA	30198	10.910
3	National Institute of Mental Health	USA	11419	4.125
4	National Institute on Drug Abuse	USA	7178	2.593
5	National Institute on Alcohol Abuse Alcoholism	USA	3398	1.228
6	National Institute of Child Health Human Development	USA	2829	1.022
7	UK Research Innovation	UK	2469	0.892
8	National Institute on Aging	USA	2231	0.806
9	Medical Research Council	UK	1859	0.672
10	Canadian Institutes of Health Research	Canada	1843	0.666

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Table 9 represents the world’s top funding agencies that provide funds to carry out research work in the clinical psychology domain. United States Department of Health Human Services USA has funded the maximum number of publications i.e., 31062 (11.22%) and holds rank 1, followed by the National Institutes of Health, USA with 30198 (10.91%) funded publications, and the National Institute of Mental Health, USA with 11419 (4.12%) funded publications. Among the top 10 funding agencies, 7 are from the USA and 2 & 1 from the UK and Canada, respectively.

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Table 9.1: Top Indian Funding Agencies

Rank	Top Funding Agencies in India	Funding count	%
1	National Council on Science and Technology	32	3.14
2	Indian Council of Medical Research	17	1.66
3	Ministry of Health and Welfare	9	0.88
4	Department of Science Technology India	9	0.88
5	University Grants Commission India	7	0.68
6	Department of Biotechnology	7	0.68
7	All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi	4	0.39
8	Indian Statistical Institute	2	0.19
9	Ramanujan Fellowship	2	0.19
10	Council of Scientific and Industrial Research	2	0.19

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Table 9.1 represents the top funding agencies of India for clinical psychologists based on WoS data. National Council on Science and Technology holds rank 1, funding 32 publications i.e., 3.14% of the Indian publications, followed by the Indian Council of Medical Research which funded 17 publications (1.66%), and the Ministry of Health and Welfare with 9 funded publications i.e., 0.88%.

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Table 10: Top Keywords

Rank	Citation Topics Meso	Count	%	Citation Topics Micro	Count	%
1	Psychiatry & Psychology	50294	18.17	Ptsd	14018	5.064
2	Psychiatry	45723	16.518	Eating Disorders	13460	4.863
3	Nutrition & Dietetics	17212	6.218	Psychotherapy	11473	4.145
4	Substance Abuse	11858	4.284	Parenting	10569	3.818
5	Neuroscanning	11036	3.987	Depression	8818	3.186
6	Autism & Development Disorders	10591	3.826	Schizophrenia	6709	2.424
7	Social Psychology	8154	2.946	Methadone	6286	2.271
8	Neurodegenerative Diseases	7098	2.564	Dementia	6091	2.201
9	Palliative Care	4966	1.794	Mindfulness	6007	2.170
10	Gender & Sexuality Studies	4338	1.567	Autism	5424	1.960

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Table 10 shows the most popular keywords that were found through a combination of focused analysis of the individual elements such as particular publications, contributors, or their citations and an intermediate analysis of the patterns and trends in relation to broader groupings like communities, institutions, or other subfields. This analysis provided in-depth insights into the use and impact of individual research contributions. Understanding the complete range of research influence and citation patterns requires both levels of analysis, which provide insights at various granularities. While analyzing the broader terms i.e., Meso, the most popular topics found are psychiatry and psychology which relate to 50294 (18.17%) of the publications, followed by psychiatry, nutrition and dietetics, substance abuse, and neuroscanning with 45723 (16.51%), 17212 (6.21%), 11858 (4.28%) and 11036 (3.98%) respectively. While analyzing detailed individual elements i.e., micro, the popular topics found are Ptsd (14018 i.e., 5.06%), eating disorders (13460 i.e., 4.86%), psychotherapy (11473 i.e., 4.14%), parenting (10569 i.e., 3.81%) and depression (8818 i.e., 3.18%). The most often recurring keywords throughout the time suggest a greater amount of research in that specific subject, indicating a greater level of interest in such topics among scholars.

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5. Results

1. Globally the maximum no. of publications has been produced during the year 2021 i.e., 14737 (5.324%), followed by 2019 (14141, 5.109%), and 2020 (13049, 4.714%). The lowest number of publications was produced in 1989, i.e., 3713 (1.341%). From India the maximum no. of papers produced in the year 2021 (107 papers), followed by 2022 (103), and 2023 (90), with least number of publications in 1991 (2 publications). No publications have been produced during 1992.
2. Relative Growth Rate of publications has decreased from 0.772 in 1990 to 0.045 in 2023. Doubling time for the publications has been increased from 0.082 in 1990 to 1.410 in 2023. Both the RGR and Doubling time show fluctuations in between.
3. The maximum no. of publications has been produced in the form of articles i.e., 194310 (70.199%), followed by meeting abstracts i.e., 33218 (12.001%), and book reviews (16062, 5.803).
4. Globally Zvolensky Michael J from the University of Houston, USA has produced the maximum number of publications i.e., 465 (0.168%) and Andrade Chittaranjan (Global rank 72, h-index 35), affiliated with the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, contributing 159 papers i.e., 15.61% is the top author from India.
5. Internationally Rank 1 is occupied by the University of California System, USA contributing 11362 i.e., 4.18% publications and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Karnataka contributes maximum papers i.e., 249 publications (24.45% of the Indian publications), world rank 507.
6. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology (JCI = 0.83), published by Oxford University Press, United Kingdom with 11059 i.e., 3.99% publications is the topmost journal in terms of publication counts.
7. The USA is the topmost country contributing 137585 papers i.e., 49.70% of the total publications and also collaborates maximum publications with India i.e., 203 publications.
8. The most cited paper is entitled as “The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)… (1998)” by Sheehan, DV et al is published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry have 18366 citations.
9. Maximum publications relate to psychology i.e., 276800 (100%) followed by psychiatry with 92189 publications i.e., 33.30%. Next comes the Neurosciences and Neurology with 24283 publications i.e., 8.77%.
10. Globally United States Department of Health Human Services USA has funded the maximum number of publications i.e., 31062 (11.22%), and National Council on Science and Technology is the topmost from India, funding 32 publications i.e., 3.14% of the publications.
11. The most popular topics found are psychiatry and psychology with 50294 (18.17%) of the publications, followed by psychiatry, nutrition and dietetics, substance abuse, and neuroscanning with 45723 (16.51%), 17212 (6.21%), 11858 (4.28%) and 11036 (3.98%) respectively. While analyzing detailed individual elements (micro), the popular topics found are Ptsd (14018, 5.06%), eating disorders (13460, 4.86%), psychotherapy (11473, 4.14%), parenting (10569, 3.81%) and depression (8818, 3.18%).

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6. Discussion and Conclusion

The scientometric assessment of global clinical psychology publications, based on Web of Science data, reveals significant trends in the field. Overall, the volume of publications has increased, indicating a growing global interest in mental health issues. Though fluctuations in the data have been observed throughout the time frame, the noticeable no. of publications drop after the year 2019 could be attributed to COVID-19. The Relative Growth Rate of global publications decreased and the doubling time for the publications increased from 1990 to 2023. Countries like the United States, the UK, and Germany dominate the field due to their strong academic institutions and substantial funding. India collaborates the most with the USA, England and Australia. The interdisciplinary nature of the field, with overlap in neuroscience, psychiatry, and public health, has led to more comprehensive research outcomes addressing complex mental health issues. Key research areas, such as psychiatry, neuropsychology, psychopathology, family studies, health psychology, Substance abuse and Rehabilitation continue to drive innovation and inform evidence-based practices for advancing mental health care globally.

In conclusion, this scientometric assessment demonstrates that clinical psychology is a dynamic and evolving field with a broadening scope and increasing global participation. The insights gained from this analysis provide a valuable foundation for guiding future research directions, fostering international collaborations, and addressing the diverse mental health needs of populations worldwide. Similar studies can be conducted in other fields too, to analyze dynamic research trends in terms of publications, authors, institutions, funding agencies, subject research areas, keywords etc.

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Conflict of Interest:

None.

Funding Statement:

None.

Acknowledgements:

None.

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ORCID ID:

Pooja
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7133-1614
E-mail: [email protected]

Prof. Meera
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7937-5574
E-mail: [email protected]

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