BUSM Professor Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award for Work on PTSD

Terence M. Keane, PhD, professor of psychiatry and assistant dean for research at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), received the Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Clinical Psychology Award from the American Psychological Association (APA) at the annual conference of the Society for Clinical Psychology in Honolulu on Aug. 1.

Approximately 7.7 million adults are affected by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Symptoms include nightmares, depression, guilt and difficulty sleeping. Keane has dedicated his career to identifying new therapies for PTSD. This award recognizes his lifetime theoretical and empirical contributions to the field of clinical psychology.

“This award is particularly meaningful to me as it represents both the incredible scientific advances made in understanding PTSD over the past 30 years while also recognizing the role of our team in contributing to the development of some of this new knowledge,” said Keane. “I’m deeply honored to receive this award from the Society for Clinical Psychology, the largest group of clinical psychologists in the world.”

Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development at VA Boston Healthcare System and Director of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder’s Behavioral Science Division, Keane has been supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration for his research on psychological trauma. He has validated measurement tools for PTSD and contributed to the development of several cognitive-behavioral models for treatment. His ongoing work aims to create a national registry of patients with PTSD. In addition, Keane is developing an online treatment program for veterans at risk of substance abuse and with symptoms of war trauma.

Keane is a fellow of the APA and the Association for Psychological Science. He has lectured internationally and is recognized as a leader in his field. Former president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Keane is the recipient of numerous, prestigious awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Robert Laufer Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the Harold Hildreth Award for Contributions to Public Service from the APA. He has received two honorary doctorates recognizing his contributions to psychology and mental health.

Keane completed his predoctoral clinical internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center/VA Jackson Consortium. He received his PhD in psychology from Binghamton University and his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Rochester.