My research interests include social development broadly, with an emphasis on peer relations. My work has examined the inpact of peers on the development of aggression and bullying, academic achievement and self-regulated learning, and psychopathology. Recent work has begun to examine these issues in students with exceptionalities.

PhD, Developmental Psychology, December 2001, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

MA, Developmental Psychology, May 1999, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

BS, Psychology, June 1995, The University of California at Davis

• P624 BRAIN RESEARCH
• P515 CHILD DEVELOPMENT

• Estell, D. B., Jones, M. H. Pearl, R. & Van Acker, R. (in press). Best friendships of students with and without learning disabilities across late elementary School. Exceptional Children.
• Farmer, T. W., Estell, D. B., Hall, C. M., Pearl, R., Van Acker, R., & Rodkin, P.C. (2008). Interpersonal competence configurations, behavior problems, and social adjustment in late childhood. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 16, 195-212.
• Estell, D. B., Farmer, T. W., Irvin, M. J., Crowther, A., Akos, P., & Boudah, D. J. (in press). Students with exceptionalities and the peer group context of bullying and victimization in late elementary school. Journal of Child and Family Studies.
• Estell, D. B., Farmer, T. W., Pearl, R., Van Acker, R., & Rodkin, P. C. (2008). Social Status and aggression in girls: Individual, group, and classroom influences. Journal of School Psychology.
• Jones, M. H., Estell, D. B., & Alexander, J. M. (2008). Friends, classmates, and self-regulated learning: Effects of peer discussions inside and outside the classroom. Metacognition and Learning, 3, 1-15.
• Edl, H. M., Jones, M. H. & Estell, D. B. (2008). Ethnicity and English proficiency: Teacher perceptions of interpersonal competence in European-American and Latino students. School Psychology Review, 37, 38-45.
• Estell, D. B., Jones, M. H., Pearl, R., Van Acker, R., Farmer, T. W., & Rodkin, P. C. (2008). Peer groups, popularity, and social preference: Trajectories of social functioning among students with and without learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41, 5-14.
• Estell, D. B., Farmer, T. W., Irvin, M. J., Thompson, J. H., Hutchins, B. C., & McDonough, E. M. (2007). Trajectories and transitions: Pathways across middle school and ninth grade achievement and substance use. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 477-487.

• Served as Interim Associate Dean of Teacher Education - Oversaw the undergraduate teacher education programs. Served ex-officio on the Elementary Education Council, the Secondary Education Council, Committee on Teaching, Committee on Teacher Education, and Policy Council. Served on Dean's Cabinet and the Dean's Council.
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Youth and Adolescence - As a member of the Editorial Board, I act both as a reviewer of manuscripts and in some cases as action editor, meaning I will be in charge of the review process for certain manuscripts. The Journal of Youth and Adolescence is a multidisciplinary journal which publishes empirical, theoretical, and review articles on issues related to child and adolescent development.
• Board member: Project Ophelia. - Project Ophelia is a community-based project designed to reduce relational aggression among middle-school girls. After serving as an advisor and evaluator on the project for two years, I am now on the governing board.

• Journal of School Psychology Best Article Award, 2004. - This was an award for the best article published by that journal for the 2003 calendar year. It was awarded for Farmer, T. W., Estell, D. B., Leung, M-C., Trott, H., Bishop, J. L., & Cairns, B. D. (2003). Individual characteristics, early adolescent peer affiliations, and school dropout: An examination of aggressive and popular group types. Journal of School Psychology, 41, 217-232.