Steven Stone-Sabali

Steven Stone-Sabali, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Counseling Psychology in the Department of Educational Studies. His research examines risk and protective factors that relate to Black and African American young adults’ educational and mental health experiences, including factors related to cross-racial interactions. His work has been supported by funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and The Ohio State University. He is also a recipient of The Ohio State University’s Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award (2025).

• PhD, Counseling Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin
• MEd, Counseling Psychology, Temple University
• BS, Computer Science and Business, The University of Pittsburgh

• Counseling Psychology
  • Psychosocial variables related to mental health and educational outcomes

Title: Preventing Substance Misuse and Substance Use Disorder by Examining Service Provider Interactions, Discrimination, Ethnic Identity, Sexual Orientation Identity, and Housing First Outcomes.

• Role: Principal Investigator (NIH Supplement)
• Parent Grant PIs: Natasha Slesnick & Kelly Kelleher
• Total Support: $234,642
• Funding Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Title: Mindful Changes, Noticeable Impact: Adapting Mindfulness Interventions to Boost Receptivity and Wellbeing in Ohio Young Adults

• Role: Principal Investigator
• Total Support: $40,000
• Funding Agency: OSU Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health

Student contributors indicated by (*)

Research Line 1: Psychosocial Risk and Protective Processes in Educational & Mental Health Contexts

1. Stone-Sabali, S., Uanhoro, J. O., McClain, S., & *Devese, K. (2025). Disentangling the discrimination and mental health relationship among diverse college students: Moderation analyses of shame-proneness across race, gender, and race-by-gender interactions. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 31(1), 151–163. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000620
2. Stone-Sabali, S., Uanhoro, J. O., McClain, S., Bernard, D., *Makari, S., & Chapman-Hilliard, C. (2024). Impostorism and psychological distress among college students of color: A moderation analysis of shame-proneness, race, gender, and race-gender interactions. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues, 43(4), 3632–3648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04579-0
3. Cokley, K. O., Bernard, D. L., Stone-Sabali, S., & Awad, G. H. (2024). Impostor phenomenon in racially/ethnically minoritized groups: Current knowledge and future directions. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 20(1), 407–430. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081122-015724
4. Stone-Sabali, S., Bernard, D. L., Mills, K. J., & *Osborn, P. R. (2023). Mapping the evolution of the impostor phenomenon research: A bibliometric analysis. Current Psychology, 42(36), 32097–32109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04201-9
5. Bernard, D. L., Stone-Sabali, S., Volpe, V. V., Matthews, I. J., & Smith, L. V. (2025). Campus racial climate and impostor phenomenon among Black college students: The mediating roles of social anxiety and self-esteem. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 18(Suppl 1), S493–S504. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000590
6. Stone-Sabali, S., Saucer, C., Bailey, M., Garba, R., Hurst, A., Jackson, S. M., Krueger, N., & Cokley, K. (2018). Learning while Black: A culturally informed model of the impostor phenomenon for Black graduate students. Journal of Black Psychology, 44(6), 491–531. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798418786648
7. Krueger, N., Garba, R., Stone-Sabali, S., Cokley, K., & Bailey, M. (2022). African American activism: The predictive role of race-related stress, racial identity, and social justice beliefs. Journal of Black Psychology, 48(3–4), 273–308. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798420984660
8. Bernard, D., & Stone-Sabali, S. (2022). The impostor phenomenon for psychology graduate students. In M. J. Prinstein (Ed.), The Portable Mentor: Expert Guide to a Successful Career in Psychology (3rd ed.).

Research Line 2: Interpersonal and Institutional Processes in Diverse Settings

1. Stone-Sabali, S., Mills, K. J., Alexander, E., *Devese, K., *Tippit, M., *Makari, S. E., & *Mitchell, A. J. (in press). On repairing racial ruptures after racial microaggressions: A mixed methods study with Black graduate students. Journal of Counseling Psychology.
2. Stone-Sabali, S., Mallory, A. B., Mills, K. J., & Alexander, E. (2025). On racial allyship and constructing a racial allyship framework: Black graduate STEM students’ insights and recommendations for aspiring faculty allies. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 18(3), 327–340. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000510
3. Stone-Sabali, S. (2024). Who is the white antiracist student? An exploratory investigation of individual characteristics. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 17(3), 307–318. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000415
4. Stone-Sabali, S., Mills, K. J., Mallory, A. B., & Alexander, E. (2024). Black Lives Matter and other signs of solidarity: Perspectives from Black STEM graduate students. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(6), 1449–1477. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21896
5. Mills, K. J., Stone-Sabali, S., & *Parler, B. A. (2023). Responding to racial microaggressions: Resilience among Black undergraduate students. Journal of College Student Development, 64(6), 630–646. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.a917020