AJOPA’s milestone with PubMed Central inclusion

The open-access African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA) has taken a significant step forward, with its inclusion in PubMed Central (PMC). This accomplishment marks a celebratory moment for the journal as it strives to expand the reach and impact of high-quality psychological assessment research rooted in the African context.

We recently had the opportunity to engage with AJOPA’s new Editor-in-Chief, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, and Founding Editor, Professor Sumaya Laher, to learn more about their perspectives and vision. Their leadership during this exciting transitional phase has been pivotal in steering AJOPA toward greater visibility and influence.

A legacy of leadership and transition
Professor Laher, whose tenure as Editor-in-Chief has seen AJOPA expand its reputation as a trusted platform for African research on psychological assessment, reflected on this key achievement. Her strategic direction and unwavering dedication have been instrumental in securing AJOPA’s inclusion in PubMed Central, a feat that underscores her contributions to the journal’s growth and global standing. “Ensuring that research from the continent has a home and is accessible globally has always been a key goal for AJOPA,” she said.
Professor Pretorius, stepping into his role as the new Editor-in-Chief, shared his enthusiasm for building on this momentum. “I look forward to enhancing AJOPA’s standing as an essential resource for scholars and practitioners while exploring innovative assessments and culturally relevant methodologies for Africa,” he noted.

Questions for the Editorial Team
To provide further insight, we posed several questions to the editorial team. Here’s what we aimed to uncover

From Professor Tyrone Pretorius
Question: How does AJOPA uniquely address psychological assessment in the African context compared to other journals?
Answer: The African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA) uniquely addresses psychological assessment in the African context through its strong focus on cultural relevance, ethical sensitivity, and local applicability. Unlike many globally oriented journals that rely on Western-standardized tools, AJOPA emphasizes the development, adaptation, and validation of assessments tailored to African populations, considering local languages, socio-economic diversity, and cultural norms. It promotes the use of African epistemologies and indigenous psychological concepts to ensure tests are both valid and fair for African test-takers. The journal also tackles ethical and policy concerns specific to the continent, such as disparities in access to education and mental health services, and the use of outdated or culturally irrelevant tools. AJOPA distinguishes itself by publishing applied, practice-based research that reflects how assessments function in everyday contexts like schools, workplaces, and clinics. It actively supports capacity building by showcasing work that develops local expertise and professional training in psychological assessment. As an open-access journal published by AOSIS, AJOPA ensures wide accessibility to peer-reviewed, high-quality research, benefiting practitioners and scholars across Africa, including those in under-resourced regions. Through its Africa-centric lens, AJOPA plays a vital role in shaping ethical, culturally appropriate, and locally informed psychological assessment practices across the continent.

Question: What types of contributions or research themes is AJOPA most interested in publishing?
Answer: Based on the description above, the African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA) is particularly interested in publishing research that is culturally grounded, ethically informed, practically relevant, and focused on the African context. Key areas of interest include the development, adaptation, and validation of psychological assessments that are appropriate for African populations, as well as cross-cultural research that considers linguistic, socio-economic, and cultural diversity. The journal values contributions that incorporate African epistemologies and indigenous psychological frameworks, supporting both theoretical and empirical work rooted in local worldviews. Ethical and policy-related issues are also central, including studies that examine fairness, accessibility, consent, and the regulatory environment surrounding psychological testing in Africa. AJOPA places strong emphasis on applied, practice-based research that explores the real-world use and impact of assessments in settings such as schools, workplaces, and clinics, and will welcome detailed case studies. It also encourages work that supports capacity building and professional development, including research on training initiatives, curriculum design, and collaborative efforts that foster local expertise. Contributions that focus on underserved or under-researched communities, particularly in rural or low-resource settings, are especially valued—especially when they involve innovative assessment approaches.

Question: How will the inclusion in PubMed Central enhance the journal’s reach and impact?
Answer: PMC is a widely used repository and the inclusion of AJOPA in PMC affirms AJOPA’s scientific quality and that of the contributors to the journal. AJOPA attracts high-caliber submissions from South Africa and Africa. We hope that the inclusion of the African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA) in PubMed Central (PMC) will significantly enhances its global visibility, credibility, and scholarly impact and ultimately attract a broader audience for the innovative research being shared in this journal.

Question: What challenges do you foresee in the field of psychological assessment in Africa, and how can AJOPA help overcome them?
Answer: Psychological assessment in Africa faces several key challenges that impact its effectiveness and relevance. First, there is the persistent issue of cultural and linguistic diversity, which makes it difficult to develop standardized tools that are valid and reliable across different African contexts. Many assessments are still based on Western models, leading to potential biases and limited applicability. Second, limited access to resources and training for practitioners in many regions hampers the widespread and ethical use of psychological assessments. Third, ethical and policy gaps remain, with insufficient regulation and guidance around test development, adaptation, and administration, which can compromise fairness and quality. Finally, there is a need to build local research capacity to generate contextually relevant knowledge and solutions.

From Professor Sumaya Laher
Question: What inspired the founding of the African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA)?
Answer: The African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA) was founded to address a critical gap in the psychological literature: the lack of culturally relevant, locally developed, and contextually appropriate assessment tools for use in African settings. It was inspired by the recognition that many psychological assessments used across the continent were developed in Western contexts and often lacked validity, fairness, and applicability for diverse African populations. AJOPA was established to provide a dedicated platform for African scholars and practitioners to share research, innovations, and best practices in psychological assessment that reflect the continent’s linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic realities. The journal also aims to promote ethical test use, support capacity development among African professionals, and contribute to the global visibility of African-led research. In essence, AJOPA emerged out of a need to decolonize psychological assessment and create space for African voices and approaches within the global psychological community.

Question: What are your thoughts on the transition of editorial leadership from Sumaya Laher to Tyrone Pretorius?
Answer: As the founding Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA), I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved since launching the journal in 2019. My vision was to create a platform that champions culturally relevant psychological assessment research tailored to the African context, emphasizing the development of indigenous knowledge systems and the adaptation of assessment tools for our diverse populations. During my term as editor, AJOPA has gained much recognition and been included in prestigious indexing services, significantly increasing its visibility and impact in the field.
As I now formally hand over the editorial leadership to Professor Tyrone Pretorius of the University of the Western Cape, I am confident that the journal is in excellent hands. Professor Pretorius is a distinguished authority in psychological assessment, possessing an extensive portfolio of scholarly publications and research contributions in the field. He brings a wealth of expertise, profound academic insight, and a strong commitment to methodological rigor and contextual relevance. I am certain that under his visionary leadership, AJOPA will reach new heights, further expanding its influence and continuing to advance culturally grounded, high-quality assessment practices across Africa.

Through these thoughtful discussions, the editorial team shed light on the journal’s rich history, its commitment to contextually relevant research, and its strategic direction. With a keen eye on cultural diversity and innovation, AJOPA remains uniquely positioned to contribute valuable insights into the field of psychology.

A call for contributions
As part of its ongoing mission, AJOPA invites researchers, academicians, and practitioners to submit their work for consideration. The journal publishes original research, reviews, and case studies on various topics, including innovative assessment tools, culturally appropriate methodologies, and solutions tailored to African contexts.

“Our open access model ensures that knowledge-sharing extends beyond traditional boundaries,” emphasised Professor Pretorius. He encouraged researchers to seize this opportunity to contribute to the journal and join AJOPA in shaping the future of psychological assessment.

Learn more about submission guidelines by visiting AJOPA’s website.

AJOPA’s acceptance into PMC signals a bright future, as the journal continues to advocate for the visibility and accessibility of African psychological research on a global stage.