Beatrice Lee

Beatrice Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Her research focuses on psychosocial factors affecting individuals with disabilities, particularly exploring protective psychological mechanisms like gratitude to mitigate stress impacts in populations such as those with multiple sclerosis and veterans. She examines pathways to improve employment outcomes and quality of life for marginalized groups, integrating positive psychology frameworks into healthcare and rehabilitation strategies.

Dr. Lee has conducted extensive work on health inequities, disability inclusion in workplaces, and mental well-being during crises such as the pandemic. Her work involves multidisciplinary approaches, including psychometric validation of assessment tools (e.g., PERMA profiler, Brief Disability-Related Stress Scale) and mediation models analyzing stress-buffering factors. She has contributed to national studies on veteran access to healthcare and employment supports, emphasizing intersectional approaches to address disparities faced by racial/ethnic minorities and rural populations.

Her research themes coalesce around three pillars: (1) understanding how positive psychological traits mediate disability-related stress, (2) evaluating systemic barriers to employment and healthcare access, and (3) developing interventions grounded in positive psychology principles. These efforts aim to create evidence-based strategies for optimizing functioning and well-being in vulnerable populations.

Notable projects include a UTEP-led grant to enhance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and studies on employer practices for disability inclusion. Dr. Lee's work frequently employs advanced statistical techniques like hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis and mediation modeling to uncover nuanced relationships between psychosocial factors and health outcomes.