Date of Award

Summer 2026

Embargo Period

5-8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Psychology

Program

Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Mitch Earleywine

Committee Members

Drew Anderson, Sarah Domoff

Keywords

Intravenous Ketamine, PTSD, PCL-5

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a debilitating and chronic condition. Current gold standard treatments are effective but face high dropout rates. Ketamine therapy is a promising and alternative treatment for those struggling with PTSD symptoms. Prior research has indicated significant reductions in overall PTSD symptoms. However, research regarding symptom-specific changes following ketamine therapy is limited. The present study aimed to extend previous work by MacConnel and colleagues (2025) regarding significant decreases in total PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scores following ketamine treatment at an outpatient ketamine center, as well as examine potential symptom-specific changes. A final sample of 142 patients were included in the analyses for this retrospective chart review. Within this sample, the majority of patients were female (70.4%) and identified as White (49.3%). To examine symptom-specific changes, PCL-5 subscale scores were calculated according to two factor structure models, a two-factor model and a four-factor model consistent with DSM-5 criteria for PTSD. Repeated measures analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) revealed significant reductions in total PCL-5 scores, as well as subscale scores across two models. Standardized effect sizes were large for total and subscale scores across time, with Cohen’s d values ranging from 0.99 to 1.40. We observed greatest reductions in symptoms related to cognition and mood. These findings suggest that ketamine treatment may be beneficial in addressing PTSD symptoms, particularly those related to mood and cognition.

License

This work is licensed under the University at Albany Standard Author Agreement.

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