Publications

Our publications share research that aims to improve mental health outcomes, inform clinical practice, and promote equity for underrepresented communities.

PublicationLink
Pollock, M. L., Brooks Stephens, J. R., & Bernard, D. L. (in press). Racial discrimination and internalizing symptoms among Black youth: The moderating role of youth age and parental racial worry. Journal of Research on Adolescence. 
Brooks Stephens, J. R., Douglas, R. D., Burrow, A., Phillips, M., Walker, R. L., & Busby, D. (in press). And still, we rise: A mixed-methods study examining derailment, post-traumatic stress, and resilience among Black adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology. 
Opara, I. O., Weerakoon, S., Srikanth, N., Brooks Stephens, J. R., & Willie, T. (in press). Examining pathways between teen dating violence, substance use, and suicidal ideation among Black girls: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 
Adams, L., Brooks Stephens, J. R., Bernard, D., & Cubbage, J. (2025). Racial, ethnic, and cultural expressions of Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (RECEIPTS). American Psychologist. 
Mims, L., Anekwe, A. P., Duane, A., Leath, S., Brooks Stephens, J. R., Bishop, H., & Bui, T. T. (in press). “I imagine that it would stick with her for the rest of her life”: A qualitative exploration of Black joy among Black women caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Psychology. 
Bentley, K. H., Kennedy, C. J., Khadse, P. N., Brooks Stephens, J. R., Madsen, E. M., Flics, M. J., Lee, H., Smoller, J. W., & Burke, T. A. (2025). Clinician suicide risk assessment for prediction of suicide attempt in a large healthcare system. JAMA Psychiatry, e250325. Advance online publication. View
Murphy, E. R., Brooks Stephens, J. R., & Gallagher, M. W. (2025). The unique associations of hope and mindfulness with PTSD and well-being for trauma-exposed Black adults. Journal of Happiness Studies.View
Brooks Stephens, J. R., Murphy, E. R., Gallagher, M., & Walker, R. L. (2025). Racial trauma and mental health: The adaptive role of psychological flexibility for young Black adults. Behavior Therapy.View
Adams, L. B., DeVinney, A., Aljuboori, D., Brooks Stephens, J. R., Watts, T., Cook, B., Lê Cook, Joe, S., Wilcox, H. C., & Thorpe, Jr., R. J. (2025). Investigating the role of racism in Black men’s suicide: Revisiting the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide. Archives of Suicide Research.View
Opara, I., Asabor, E., Rutledge, J., Brooks Stephens, J. R., Cayo, S., Duran-Becerra, B., & Abrams, J. (2025). Empowerment in prevention: A qualitative inquiry into Black girl-centered strategies for reducing HIV/STI and drug misuse risk. Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 32(1), 2444728. View
Brooks Stephens, J. R., Makhubela, M., Madubata, I., & Walker, R. L. (2025). Network analysis of depression symptoms in American and South African university students: A cross-national comparison. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 14(1), 18-29.View
Douglas, R. D., Brooks, J. R., Tambedou, T., & Busby, D. R. (2024). Is resilience enough? Exploring the relationship between COVID-related stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms among Black adults. Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion.View
Opara, I., Brooks, J. R., Aneni, U., Ngozi Asatro, E., Weerakoon, S., & Duran-Becerra, B. (2024). A qualitative exploration on risk and protective factors of substance use among Black girls. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 1–14. Advance online publication. View
Brooks Stephens, J. R., Walker, R. L., Francis, D. J., Neville, H. A., & Vujanovic, A. A. (2024). 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, 71(5), 459–472.View
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. View
Murphy, E. R., Brooks Stephens, J. R., & Gallagher, M. W. (2024). The unique associations between ethnic discrimination, hope, anxiety, depression, and well-being in African American, Asian, and Hispanic adults. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 9, 1-19.View
Adams, L. B., Watts, T., Devinney, A., Haroz, E., Thrul, J., Brooks Stephens, J. R., Campbell, M. N., Antoine, D., Le Cook, B., Joe, S., & Thorpe, R. J. (2024). Acceptability and feasibility of a smartphone-based real-time assessment of suicide among Black men. JMIR Formative Research, 8, e48992. View
Lidell-Quintyn, E., Brooks, J. R., & Anestis, M. D. (2023). Understanding firearm purchasing during a purchasing surge among Black individuals. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 16(3), 23-35.View
Opara, I., Weerakoon, S., Brooks, J. R., Choe, T., Gunn, J. F., & Thrasher, S. (2023). Relationship between suicidality, bully victimization, dating violence and depressive symptoms among Black and Hispanic youth. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.View
Buitron, V., Mayorga, N. A., Brooks, J. R., Nizio, P., Schmidt, B., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2023). Self-reported COVID-19 symptoms and suicide risk among Latinx individuals who experience acculturative stress. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 14, 100632.View
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.
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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.View
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.View
Bond, A. E., Brooks, J. R., Rodriguez, T. R., Bandel, S. L., & Anestis, M. D. (2023). Examining characteristics and experiences of Black firearm owners. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 79(9), 2137-2154View
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. Journal of Aging and Health, 34(3), 390-400. View
Anderson, R. E., Ahn, L. H., Brooks, J. R., Charity-Parker, B., Inniss-Thompson, M., Gumudavelly, D., Mitchell, S., & Anyiwo, N. (2022). “The Talk” tells the story: How parents’ racial socialization strategies aim to protect Black adolescents from racism. Journal of Adolescent Research, 38(3), 562-588. View
Mayorga, N. A., Brooks, J. R., Walker, R. L., Garey, L., Berger Cardoso, J., Garza, M., Ochoa-Perez, M., Lemaire, C., Viana, A. G., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2022). Evaluating the role of anxiety sensitivity on behavioral health outcomes among Latinx persons. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 46(1), 31-42. View
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. Journal of Black Psychology, 49(3), 382-403. View
Brooks, J. R., Lebeaut, A., Zegel, M., Walker, R. L., & Vujanovic, A. A. (2021). Anxiety sensitivity and suicide ideation: Mindfulness as a psychological buffer for Black adults. Journal of Affective Disorders,  289, 74-80. View
Babicz, M. A., Woods, S. P., Matchanova, A., Medina, L. D., Podell, P., Walker, R. L., Fetterman, A. K., Rahman, S., Johnson, B., Thompson, J. L., Sullivan, K. L., Beltran-Najera, I., Brooks, J., & Morales, Y. (2021). How did individual differences in neurocognition and health literacy influence the initial uptake and use of health-related information about COVID-19? Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 43, 497-513.View
Madubata, I. J., Cheref, S., Eades, N., Brooks, J. R., Talavera, D. C., & Walker, R. L. (2020). Non-suicidal self-injury, neuroticism, and ethnic identity in young Latina adults. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 42(2), 528-586.View
Matchanova, A., Babicz, M. A., Medina, L. D., Rahman, S., Johnson, B., Thompson, J. L., Beltran-Najera, I., Brooks, J., Sullivan, K. L., Walker, R. L., Podell, K., & Woods, S. P. (2020). Latent structure of a brief clinical battery of neuropsychological tests administered in-home via telephone. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 36, 874-886.View
Cooper, S. M., Burnett, M., Johnson, M., Brooks, J., Shaheed, J., & McBride, M. (2020). ‘That is why we raise children’: African American fathers’ race-related concerns for their adolescents and parenting strategies. Journal of Adolescence, 82, 67-81.View

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.

This paper was selected for the 2021 Morton M. Silverman Student Award by the American Association of Suicidology

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Brooks, J. R., Hong, J. H., Madubata, I. J., Odafe, M. O., Cheref, S., & Walker, R. L. (2020). The moderating effect of dispositional forgiveness on perceived racial discrimination and depressive symptoms for African American adults. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 27(3), 511–520.View