Dr. Blythe Corbett brings a unique perspective to the world of autism research. From her early work as a paramedic and actor to her current role as a psychologist and leading autism researcher in the SENSE (Social Emotional NeuroScience Endocrinology) Lab, Dr. Corbett has constantly returned to the same question: how do we better understand and connect with one another?

Her work spans some of the field’s pressing concepts: the importance of recognizing not only challenges but strengths, building social connection among individuals with autism, and learning about the stress responsivity of children with autism. Her career reflects her commitment to advancing scientific knowledge but also to reshaping how society perceives and supports individuals on the autism spectrum.

Building SENSE Theatre®

Before Dr. Corbett became known for her work in autism research, her career path looked a bit different. She started as a paramedic. Interested in emergency medicine, she quickly learned how to think on her feet and handle high-stakes situations.

In addition to her work as an EMT, Dr. Corbett had been a professional writer and actor for about 12 years. “Acting has just transformed my life and helped me to feel more confident and engage in social communication with greater ease,” she shared. What had been a pivotal part of her life became a turning point for the next part of her career.

In her undergraduate years, Dr. Corbett was first introduced to autism. In her first research class, she engaged in a video modeling technique that involves teaching video vignettes with actors and there she met her first young person with autism. By 2009, SENSE Theatre® was born as a unique intervention research program for autistic youth. “It took time. I was in the field for many years before I actually decided now is the time, but it was brewing, and I had been forming ideas for a long time.”

Early Breakthroughs

Prior to bringing SENSE Theatre® into full fruition, Dr. Corbett wanted to ensure that her design was based on pure solid psychological principles. “We tested in the beginning a number of things including neuropsychological tests with the hormone cortisol,” Blythe explained. “We used objective measures of what we saw and there were significant statistical differences on the data with a very small sample of kids.”

For Dr. Corbett, the preliminary data was an early signal to keep building. The team published the pilot study and continued to develop the program and the research design that they used. What began as a small experiment grew into a fully developed intervention and research model that demonstrates how theatre and science intersect to change lives.

Safe Spaces for Self-Expression

One critical part of SENSE Theatre® is that all of the plays and performances that the program does are all written by Dr. Corbett herself and each script is a theme that is relevant to youth with autism. “So we choose things that we can all resonate with, but especially an individual on the autism spectrum,” Dr. Corbett noted. “So things like acceptance, belonging, or trying new things and challenging ourselves.” All of the themes Dr. Corbett chooses are important in terms of social communication and the kids are able to absorb some of the lessons without directly being lectured.

Some of the kids really resonate with their characters which creates a safe space to manage some of their past experiences. There is also a dedicated time where the kids can learn about and develop their characters. “There is organized time at the very beginning of SENSE Theatre where the child is given an exercise. Here, they can ask questions about their character. There is a translation from the kid to the character and allows them to take a different perspective on the world.”

Through this process, the kids also get to work with a peer. “The peers are trained and work in tandem, typically one-on-one with the child on the spectrum.” In the SENSE program, the peers must be active models of social behavior. This means utilizing eye contact, gestures, showing enthusiasm, or using the child’s name to be more intentional about engagement. The kids and the peers form a supportive relationship and there is this reciprocity that the kids learn about.

SENSE Theatre® also goes beyond just kids. “So, we have a SENSE Theatre® adult program that was created and we have published that. We have shown demonstrable differences in adults with autism,” Dr. Corbett shared. “The way we measure it is a little different. We can’t use a lot of the same measures, but nonetheless, they seem to really enjoy the process.”

Owning the Diagnosis

One of the most rewarding and fulfilling outcomes of SENSE Theatre®, Dr. Corbett shared, has been watching the sense of pride among the kids in SENSE Theatre®. “Some of them are quite proud of the fact that they have this condition. They can also see strengths about it,” she beamed. For many participants, autism becomes not just a label but a source of uniqueness. “There are differences. For some of our kids, that’s really cool. It’s about acknowledging, ‘Yes, I have autism, but it also brings me a lot of these strengths and cool characteristics, and I love that.’”

In these moments, SENSE Theatre® isn’t just about building social skills. It helps children navigate their challenges while also fostering self-acceptance in their differences.

The Broad Definition of the Spectrum and Its Overlaps

Dr. Corbett’s work has consistently highlighted that autism rarely exists on its own. Early on in her career, she examined the overlap between autism and ADHD. “At the time, our diagnostic manual insisted that you couldn’t diagnose someone with both [Autism and ADHD],” Dr. Corbett recalled. “The data that we produced at the time reinforced the co-occurrence. We provided profiles of individuals who have strictly autism, those who have autism and ADHD, and those who have ADHD.”

Her lab also has seen autism alongside epilepsy, a co-occurrence that carries its own set of challenges. Yet recognition of these interactions has lagged and there still remains stigma in the world of mental health and access. “Currently, we are becoming at least more accepting than we used to. There is still a stigma in certain parts of our society. But schizophrenia, unfortunately, remains stigmatized.”

Part of the difficulty lies in the evolving definition of autism itself. Historically, when autistic disorder was defined, it involved individuals who had more clearly defined characteristics. There was another condition called Asperger’s Syndrome that involved individuals who had significant challenges with social interactions and tended to have restricted interests and behaviors but did not experience significant language challenges as in autism. “Now we put all these individuals together,” Dr. Corbett added, “We also put people together who have co-occurring intellectual disabilities. Now it truly is, as the name implies, a spectrum.”

Stress, the HPA Axis, and Biological Responses

Dr. Corbett’s research doesn’t just involve the theater-based invention, but rather also relates to stress. “One of our primary stress systems is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or HPA axis,” Dr. Corbett said. “Early on in my career, I had a real interest in looking at that to see what kind of experiences or contexts are potentially stressful for individuals on the autism spectrum.” This type of research involved looking at the regulation of hormones like cortisol in autism and seeing if the stress response is different in different types of social and nonsocial situations.

Autism Research Across Sexes

For much of its history, autism research has been shaped by a male bias. Diagnostic criteria and screening items were largely built on studies with boys, leaving many girls mis – or underdiagnosed. “We’re becoming more aware, as a field, that we need to consider some of these differences,” Dr. Corbett urged. “It’s kind of curious, isn’t it, that we know biologically, there’s so many differences between sexes.” In recent years, researchers have become more thoughtful in their diagnostic techniques.

Her lab and others have begun documenting how autism may look different in girls. For instance, females on the spectrum may have stronger verbal and nonverbal communication skills and less repetitive behaviors. These variations can mask symptoms, but they also highlight areas of strength. “It’s not just finding differences that appear as challenges, but also finding strengths that we can play into.”