Jasmin Brooks Stephens

Assistant Professor
Education: 
Ph.D., University of Houston; Clinical Internship, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital
Research Area: 
Clinical Science
Research Interests: 
Race and Racism; Racial Trauma; Suicide Prevention; Black Youth and Families; Risk and Resilience; Culture; Identity; Community-Based Participatory Research
  • whatshotResearch Description

    Grounded in strengths-based approaches, my research program characterizes the unique social and contextual risk factors that shape the mental health trajectories of Black youth and emerging adults, with a focus on suicide vulnerability and racial trauma. My work also aims to identify cultural protective factors that promote resilience and positive psychological well-being for diverse Black communities. Thus, my research interests fall into three complementary but distinct domains: (1) Understanding how sociocultural mechanisms may contribute to or protect against suicidal ideation and behavior, (2) examining the direct and indirect pathways by which racism influences health and well-being, and (3) investigating the interplay between traumatic stress, racial discrimination, and mental health. My ultimate goal is to identify modifiable targets to guide the development and implementation of novel interventions, policies, and programming to reduce racism-related stress and suicide among Black youth, emerging adults, and families.

    Future directions of my research program include (1) integrating qualitative and quantitative clinical science methods to advance suicide risk prediction and modeling, (2) utilizing culturally grounded, intersectional approaches to examine mental health risk and resilience among Black youth and families, and (3) fostering community partnerships to facilitate community-engaged research.

  • placeSelected Publications

    Brooks Stephens, J. R., Walker, R. L., Francis, D. J., Neville, H. A., & Vujanovic, A. A. (in press). The syndemic effect of COVID-19 and racial discrimination on suicide risk for Black young adults: Examining a model of radical healing. Journal of Counseling Psychology.

    Semenza, D., Daruwala, S., Brooks Stephens, J. R., & Anestis, M. D. (2024). Exposure to gun violence and suicide among Black adults in the United States. JAMA Network Open, 7(2), e2354953. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.54953.

    Brooks Stephens, J. R., Jones, S. C. T., Madubata, I. J., Mitchell, S., Walker, R. L., & Anderson, R. E. (2023). It runs in the family: Parent racial worries and youth internalizing problems within Black families. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32, 3106-3119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02647-4.

    Brooks Stephens, J. R., Lebeaut, A., Jewell, R. D., Zegel, M., Walker, R. L., & Vujanovic, A. A. (2023). Living in the present moment: The role of mindfulness in the association between impulsivity and suicidality among Black emerging adults. Mindfulness, 14, 1790-1803. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02180-x.

    Jain, A., Brooks, J. R., Alford, C. C., Chang, C. S., Mueller, N. M., Umscheid, C. A., & Bierman, A. S. (2023). Awareness of racial and ethnic bias and potential solutions to address bias with use of health care algorithms. JAMA Health Forum, 4(6), e231197. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2023.1197.

    Brooks, J. R., Taylor, R. J., & Chatters, L. M. (2022). The impact of traumatic events on mental health among older African American and Black Caribbean adults [Special issue]. Journal of Aging and Health, 34(3), 390-400. https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643221086336.

    Brooks, J. R., Madubata, I. J., Jewell, R. D., Ortiz, D. A., & Walker, R. L. (2021). Depression and suicide ideation: The role of self-acceptance for Black young adults [Special issue]. Journal of Black Psychology, 49(3), 382-403. https://doi.org/10.1177/00957984211037440.

    Brooks, J. R., Hong, J., Cheref, S., & Walker, R. L. (2020). Capability for suicide: Perceived discrimination as a painful and provocative event. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 50(6), 1173-1180. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12671.

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