Research Bio
Dr. Jasmin Brooks Stephens is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology (Clinical Science) at the University of California, Berkeley. Grounded in strengths-based approaches, her research program examines the social and contextual risk and protective factors that shape the mental health trajectories of Black youth and emerging adults, with a focus on suicide vulnerability and racial trauma. Her work also aims to identify cultural assets that promote positive psychological well-being for diverse Black communities.
Dr. Brooks Stephens’ research interests fall into three complementary domains: (1) understanding how sociocultural mechanisms contribute to or protect against suicidal ideation and behavior; (2) examining the direct and indirect pathways through which racism influences health and well-being; and (3) investigating the interplay between traumatic stress, racial discrimination, and mental health. Through partnerships with youth, families, and community stakeholders, Dr. Brooks Stephens translates her findings into equitable interventions, programming, and policy recommendations aimed at reducing racism-related stress, suicide, and health disparities within Black communities.
Her work has been supported by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Ford Foundation, the American Psychological Association, American Psychological Foundation, and the P.E.O. Foundation, and is published in peer-reviewed journals including American Psychologist, JAMA Psychiatry, Journal of Affective Disorders, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.
Dr. Brooks Stephens earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston and completed her clinical psychology predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Research Expertise and Interest
suicide prevention, racial trauma, Black youth, mental health, culturally responsive interventions