Jason Purnell was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He began his studies at Harvard University in 1995. There he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in Government and Philosophy in 1999. While working as Director of Community Engagement for the United Way of Greater St. Louis in 2001, Jason decided to pursue graduate study in psychology.
In September of 2002 he began his studies in counseling psychology at Ohio State with a Dean's Graduate Enrichment Fellowship. During graduate school Jason has pursued research interests in the topics of health psychology; psychological measurement and scale development; self-concept, identity, religion, and spirituality; and cross-cultural/multicultural psychology. He has pursued clinical opportunities through the Psychological Services Center, Counseling and Consultation Services, with patients admitted to rehabilitation at the OSU Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Chalmers P. Wyle VA Outpatient Clinic, and Mount Carmel Family Practice.
Jason's research began with his Masters thesis, entitled Development of the Global Spirituality Assessment Inventory. His manuscript on the relationships between religion, spirituality, quality of life, and stress in breast cancer survivors is currently under review, and the paper he co-authored on measuring meaning in life following cancer is in press with the journal Quality of Life Research. In June of 2006 Jason defended his dissertation, which examines social and cultural factors as they relate to colorectal cancer screening behaviors among African-Americans. Jason is currently completing a health psychology internship with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System - Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.
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Department of Psychology
The Ohio State University
Rm.159 Psychology Building
1835 Neil Avenue Mall
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1222
E-mail: purnell.16@osu.edu