Investigating Markers of Rapport in Autistic and Nonautistic Interactions

Less nodding and “mm-hm” went with lower rapport in mixed pairs, and with higher rapport in autistic pairs.

Rifai, O. M., Fletcher-Watson, S., Jiménez-Sánchez, L. & Crompton, C. J. (2022). Investigating Markers of Rapport in Autistic and Nonautistic Interactions. Autism in Adulthood, 4(1), 3–11.

Type

Journal article

Find it

doi.org/10.1089/aut.2021.0017

Checked

Against the abstract, 15 September 2026

Why it is on the list

Coding the diffusion-chain videos for mutual gaze and backchannelling showed that the markers didn’t map onto rapport the same way across pairings. Less backchannelling went with higher rapport between autistic people. The visible signs of engagement are implementation-specific, so part of interoperating is agreeing which signs count.