Applying developmental psychology to autism spectrum disorder research

Graduate School Application

Thank you in advance for your consideration of my application. My long-held and well-thought-out plans include providing the necessary background materials and narrative in order to be admitted to the Department of Psychology at Yale University. I intend to pursue a Master's Degree in Developmental Psychology, which will provide for me the tools, the experience, and the specific knowledge I will need to be able to work competently with autism spectrum disorder.

Why was I motivated to apply for the graduate program at Yale?

Yale University has a long and respected history of teaching and training students in the vital area of developmental psychology which delves deeply into the " ... ontogenetic and phylogenetic origins and development of cognitive and social processes" (quoted from Yale). I am eager to become involved in the developmental courses offered at Yale, including the first term assignments that review in depth all the parts of child behavior that are pertinent.

I have always been interested in and very competent in various fields of research, and as a graduate student in the developmental psychology department at Yale I will be pleased to be able to dive into a research project related to the field of autism. There is much for a graduate student to learn about research and lab work at this level, and based on my excellent work habits and study habits, I will be rolling up my sleeves and gaining every ounce of knowledge and skills that I possibly can with these projects and challenges.

The opportunity afforded by the developmental psychology talent at Yale to work with faculty members in clinical, cognitive, neuroscience and social psychology excites and motivates me. To have the chance to attend weekly talk series in the sciences related to psychology, and to rub elbows with and learn from researchers and scholars, is a powerful motivating factor in my desire to be admitted to the graduate program.

Moreover, U.S. News & World Report ranks the Yale University Department of Psychology #4 in the United States -- right behind Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). On a scale of 1-5 Yale received a 4.6 for the quality of its graduate program. Also receiving 4.6 and tied with #4 Yale University are Harvard University and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingandreviews.com.)

I had made up my mind to apply for admission prior to seeing the respected report in the U.S. News & World Report, because Yale's reputation in the field of psychology -- from psychologists, professors and students -- transcends any journalistic ranking of grad schools.

What are my future research plans as regards autistic children?

I have worked with autistic children in several instances in my adult life, and have been actively involved in their lives, including interacting with their families and their parents in particular. Having the chance to be trained in psychology -- developmental psychology is generally the field and skill needed to diagnose and work with autism -- and to be skilled in technical aspects is what I hope to become involved with vis-a-vis autistic children.

The psychologist can be and should be extremely helpful to the parents of children with autism; there are particular behaviors and reward systems that are integrated into interventions with autistic children, and families play a huge role in those interventions. Since I am a very helpful, sincere, and empathetic with parents, I believe my training and my personality will be of enormous helpfulness when it comes to working with families.

Those of us striving for a pivotal role in the field of autism understand that this is a complex developmental disorder that plays havoc with communication skills. Children with autism seem different to other kids because they can be indifferent, remote, and not able to form friendship bonds as other kids do. We know that autistic kids have weird responses sometimes to sensory experience, and autistic children act out behavioral patterns that other kids find offensive. Hence, being trained -- in a renowned graduate program at Yale -- to work with these difficult issues, and help autistic children learn to read and to interact with other children is a lofty goal but I believe I have the desire and the drive to achieve that goal.

What is my future life goal? My hopes regarding a psychologist -- and of study?

In the big picture, like others in my family, I believe I am here on earth to make a difference in people's lives. Certainly I want to make a good living and raise a family, but to be in a position to help others means as much or more than creating a comfortable, satisfying life for myself. A psychologist has an enormous responsibility to his or her clients, and I am eager to get started towards the goal of becoming a psychologist, and in time completing my PhD in psychology.