A meta-study of the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling (BJGC): an analysis of publication characteristics from 2000–2019

ABSTRACT

Article content and author characteristics were analysed in the articles published in the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling (BJGC) from 2000–2019 to determine trends over time. The BJGC publishes more total articles and guidance and counselling research articles annually than any other guidance and counselling journal except the Journal of Counseling & Development. The University of Leeds was the leading institutional contributor. The proportion of UK and non-university-affiliated lead authors declined, while the proportion of women authors and collaboration increased. More research-based articles are being published, about 55% of which use qualitative approaches, and 12% of which evaluate guidance and counselling interventions. Participant samples became smaller and used less randomisation over the past two decades.

KEYWORDS:

• meta-study
• trends
• article characteristics
• author characteristics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daun Kwag

Daun Kwag, M.Ed., is a counsellor education doctoral student in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services in the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University.

Catherine Y. Chang

Catherine Y. Chang, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services in the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University.

Daniel G. Hinkle

Daniel G. Hinkle, M.Ed., is a graduate of the human development counselling program of the Department of Human and Organizational Development in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University.

Bradley T. Erford

Bradley T. Erford, Ph.D., is a professor and director of the human development counselling program of the Department of Human and Organizational Development in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University.

LeAnn Wills

LeAnn Wills, M.Ed., is a graduate of the human development counselling program of the Department of Human and Organizational Development in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. She is currently a counsellor education doctoral student at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.