Rapport in same and mixed neurotype groups of autistic and non-autistic adults

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
• Group Dynamics

Background:

• Previous research on autistic adults' social interactions focused on two-person dyads.
• Understanding rapport formation in group settings is crucial for autistic individuals.
• The influence of shared diagnosis on group rapport remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate rapport development among autistic and non-autistic adults in mixed and same-diagnosis groups.
• To compare rapport levels in all-autistic, all-non-autistic, and mixed-diagnosis groups.
• To examine how social context (group composition) affects rapport for autistic and non-autistic individuals.

Main Methods:

• 143 autistic and non-autistic adults were assigned to 36 groups of four.
• Groups engaged in a 5-minute collaborative tower-building task.
• Post-task surveys assessed rapport within the groups.

Main Results:

• All-autistic groups reported more enjoyable and friendly interactions than mixed groups.
• Autistic participants reported lower rapport in mixed groups compared to all-autistic groups.
• Non-autistic participants reported similar rapport regardless of group composition.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest autistic adults can establish rapport in group settings, challenging a strict social deficit model.
• Rapport for autistic adults is highly dependent on the social context, particularly the presence of other autistic individuals.
• Group composition significantly influences the quality of social interactions and rapport for autistic adults.