Blythe Corbett

Blythe Corbett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She is an Investigator with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and the Center for Cognitive Medicine, where she leads the Social Emotional NeuroScience Endocrinology (SENSE) Lab. Her work bridges clinical psychology and neuroscience, focusing on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental conditions.

Dr. Corbett is a licensed psychologist with clinical and research expertise dating back to 1991. Her research integrates neuropsychological, physiological, and neuroimaging methodologies, often deployed in real-world environments like playgrounds to study social interaction and stress. A key innovation in her work is SENSE Theatre^®, a peer-mediated, community-based intervention combining theater and behavioral techniques to enhance social competence in youth with ASD.

Her current research examines pubertal development, stress arousal, and social functioning in youth with and without ASD, supported by funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). These studies aim to identify risk factors and therapeutic strategies for improving outcomes in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dr. Corbett has published extensively in high-impact journals and serves on multiple editorial boards, reflecting her leadership in the field of autism research.

• Center for Cognitive Medicine Awards

As Director of the SENSE Lab, Dr. Corbett mentors trainees and collaborates across disciplines. Her research is supported by competitive grants, including those from NIMH, enabling multisite clinical trials and longitudinal studies. She actively recruits participants for studies on teen development, social competence, and play behavior in children with ASD.

The SENSE Lab is a dynamic research environment that combines rigorous science with creative interventions. It conducts studies such as Teen Development in Youth with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder and Investigating Social Competence in Youth with Autism, often implementing assessments in naturalistic settings to enhance ecological validity.