Sample Statement of Purpose

Business has always interested me as an undergraduate. In business, we study the results of people's actions. Over time, however, I have become more interested in the motivations behind those actions. At this point, I have decided against an academic career in business and have made a commitment to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology.

In developing my honor's thesis, "The Effects of the Political Action Committee Donations on Personal Character and Leadership: A Comparative Study," I was able to yoke business and psychology by exploring the origins of personality as a means of understanding that leader's subsequent administrative methods. While completing my business degree, I have also been preparing for a future in clinical psychology. I have taken undergraduate content courses, including experimental, developmental, abnormal, personality, and social psychology, as well as psychology research courses.

My research courses, under the direction of Dr. Jim L'levac, have focused on the impact of inter- and intrapersonal functioning of adolescents and young adults by identification as children of alcoholics. These courses have allowed me to apply the research techniques and statistical skills that I have developed in both my political science and psychology classes. My duties in this research project have included creating a coding scheme for the data, working with undergraduate assistants to insure the data were coded and corrected in a timely fashion, and writing the SPSS-X programs required for data analysis. I have enjoyed being part of a research team in this exciting area of psychology.

In graduate studies at Duke University, I hope to continue research involving family systems and adolescent adjustment. I am particularly interested in learning about family therapies for borderline and identity-disordered adolescents. I recognize te importance of relying on empirically based therapies with a wide range of populations in conducting research. In reviewing the research interests of your faculty, I believe Dr. Craighead and Dr. Lochman would be particularly helpful, considering their research interests in adolescents and parent training, respectively.

After completing my Ph.D., I would like to teach at a research-oriented university where I can practice clinical techniques, conduct research, and instill in students my enthusiasm for research and the study of clinical psychology. In the long term, I am interested in the possibility of using my understanding of political science to impact public policy in the area of mental health. I envision a career in clinical psychology as a culmination of my varied interests and would appreciate the opportunity to pursue this at Duke University.

Source: Oklahoma State University Graduate College