UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation welcomes Stephanie Agtarap, Ph.D., to the faculty as an associate professor, bringing an accomplished record of research and interdisciplinary collaboration focused on improving psychosocial outcomes for individuals and families affected by traumatic brain injury.
Agtarap joins UAB from Craig Hospital in Colorado, where she served as a research scientist and led a nationally recognized program of research investigating both internal factors, such as coping strategies and personal appraisals, and external influences, including social support networks and environmental resources, which affect psychological distress, resilience, and posttraumatic growth. By combining quantitative and qualitative research approaches, she seeks to better understand the lived experiences of injury survivors and develop evidence-based strategies that support long-term recovery and well-being. Her work extends to both patients and families affected by moderate-severe traumatic brain injury, with the goal of encouraging resilience from inpatient rehabilitation into their lives at home and in the community.
Throughout her career, Agtarap has built a unique path as an experimental, non-clinical psychologist working in medical and rehabilitation settings. Agtarap earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Southwestern University, a Master of Science in experimental psychology from the University of North Texas, and a Ph.D. in behavioral science from the University of North Texas, where she focused on posttraumatic stress and growth following physical trauma. She then completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego Health Sciences and contracted with the TBI Center of Excellence at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Here, she developed expertise in traumatic brain injury, conducting research with civilians and military service members returning from combat.
Agtarap has received national recognition for her scholarship. In 2023, she was awarded a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Switzer Fellowship to study caregiver readiness among family members of individuals with brain injuries. She also received Department of Defense funding to investigate factors that contribute to posttraumatic growth following traumatic brain injury, advancing understanding of the positive psychological changes that can occur after adversity. Agtarap just recently stepped down from her position of Co-Chair for the Colorado Advisory Council on Brain Injury, which creates and monitors the state's strategic roadmap, identifies service gaps, and collaborates with public and private partners to improve statewide care.
Agtarap is also a dedicated educator and mentor. She has taught research design and health development courses and has mentored students and emerging investigators throughout her career. In addition to her own research program, Agtarap has helped clinicians conduct pilot studies in the areas of behavior management, psychological interventions, recreational therapy, and caregiver support. More recent projects have examined how recreational and community-based activities can enhance social participation and community reintegration for individuals living with brain injuries. Her commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research and supporting the next generation of scholars complements her research mission.
With an extensive publication record and a passion for improving the lives of individuals living with neurodisability, Agtarap brings valuable expertise to UAB. Within the Department of PM&R, Agtarap will continue researching psychological processes of recovery among individuals and their family members following traumatic brain injury, with particular attention to how social, environmental, and systemic factors influence psychosocial adjustment and community participation.
The Department of PM&R looks forward to the contributions she will make in advancing rehabilitation research, education, and patient-centered care.