Dr. Jasmin Stephens

Biography

Jasmin Brooks Stephens is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Houston and completed a clinical internship at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research focuses on the mental health trajectories of Black youth and emerging adults, with a particular emphasis on issues related to racial trauma and suicide prevention. Her work characterizes the unique social contextual risk factors that shape these trajectories, aiming to identify cultural protective factors that promote resilience and positive psychological well-being within diverse Black communities. Stephens's primary research areas include understanding the sociocultural mechanisms that contribute to suicidal ideation and behavior, examining both the direct and indirect pathways by which racism influences health and well-being, and investigating the interplay of traumatic stress and racial discrimination on mental health. Future directions for her research include advancing suicide risk prediction modeling through integrated qualitative and quantitative methods, utilizing culturally grounded intersectional approaches to examine mental health risk and resilience, and fostering partnerships for community-engaged research.

Research Interests

Experience