Annette Estes

Annette Estes, PhD, is a research assistant professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and an adjunct research assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington. She is also a licensed psychologist in the state of Washington. Her research is carried out at the UW Autism Center and Center on Human Development and Disability.

Dr. Estes is the principal investigator on two intervention studies for very young children with early signs of autism; these are collaborative studies between the UW Autism Center, UC Davis, and University of Michigan using the Early Start Denver Model. Dr. Estes is especially interested in the role of the family in supporting positive outcomes for children with disabilities. She currently oversees a project investigating the emergence of psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety in adolescents with autism. Dr. Estes also collaborates with a network of researchers to increase early recognition of infants at risk for autism and identify brain mechanisms that may lead to new strategies to prevent or ameliorate autism symptoms.