Othelia EunKyoung Lee
Papers
12
Total Citations
172
H-Index
6
About
Othelia EunKyoung Lee is a social work researcher and gerontologist whose scholarship centers on technology-assisted interventions for aging populations, with particular emphasis on social isolation, mental health, and health equity among older adults. She has emerged as a leading voice in the emerging field of socially assistive robotics (SAR), pioneering investigations into how companion robots like Hyodol can alleviate depression, loneliness, and cognitive decline among vulnerable older adults in both South Korea and Korean American immigrant communities. Lee's most influential work applies friendship frameworks and mixed-method designs to understand human-robot interaction, demonstrating measurable improvements in depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life across populations that are frequently underserved by conventional care systems. Her most-cited study (50 citations) offers rich qualitative insight into how older adults form meaningful bonds with robotic companions, while a 35-citation quantitative study provides rigorous evidence of SAR effectiveness among 180 low-income participants. Notably, Lee extends her inquiry beyond end-users to examine social workers' critical roles in implementing robotic eldercare programs, bridging technology and social policy. With over 165 cumulative citations across a decade-spanning body of work, her research is shaping how practitioners and policymakers envision equitable, technology-integrated eldercare for marginalized communities globally.
Research Focus
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