Citation

Mathai DS, McCathern AG, Guzick AG, Schneider SC, Weinzimmer SA, Cepeda SL, Garcia-Romeu A, Storch EA. J. Child Adolesc. Psychopharmacol. 2021; 31(8): 553-561.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/cap.2021.0078

PMID

34665021

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Investigation into parental decision-making processes involving ketamine is of high priority, given the necessary role of parents in consenting to treatment. In this study, we examined parental attitudes toward the emerging use of ketamine in adolescent mood disorders and suicidality.

METHODS: Two hundred eighty-three English-speaking parents completed an online survey using Amazon Mechanical Turk on psychiatric use of ketamine, acceptability of treatment, and their perceptions of ketamine treatment. Data quality control measures were used to mitigate invalid reporting.

RESULTS: Parents reported high acceptability toward use of ketamine for suicidality, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder in adolescents. Primary concerns around ketamine involved its potential side effects and lack of United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Responses indicated a preference for short-term applications and less invasive routes of administration for ketamine. Parent history of mental illness, familiarity with psychological treatments, and comfort using other mental health interventions in their children predicted greater acceptability of ketamine.

CONCLUSION: Although ketamine is not currently approved by the FDA for psychiatric use in children nor recommended outside of research protocols, these findings suggest that parents have interest in the application of ketamine as a treatment for pediatric mood disorders and point to future directions for research and clinical orientation.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; adolescent; Child; Female; Male; Internet; Adolescent; Decision Making; Parents; Mood Disorders; ketamine; depression; Suicide Prevention; Ketamine; attitudes; Attitude; parent; Bipolar Disorder; Depressive Disorder, Major; Off-Label Use; esketamine