(Extract from my chapter in “The Practical Handbook of Living with Dementia” (2022)
According to self-determination theory (SDT), the fulfilment of three basic needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) is highly influenced by the social environment. Close relationships and rapport in particular have a deep impact upon whether a person’s needs are satisfied and wellbeing is experienced (Baker et al 2020: 2, Ryan and Deci, 2002: 6).
More specifically, research directly examining how the three needs of SDT are related to rapport found that when one member of an interaction supports the autonomy of the other person, the other person tends to perceive more rapport in the interaction (Gurland and Grolnick 2003: 1222). Furthermore, Zeilig, Tischler and Williams (2018: 17) describe how wellbeing is dependent upon having a feeling of agency, which was demonstrated in their study when a person assumed leadership of a co-creative group session.
The central practice of Rapport-Based Communication is therefore is to adopt an interaction style that is supportive of a person’s autonomy and feeling of agency in order to create rapport, meet psychological needs and increase wellbeing. An autonomy supportive interaction style means to encourage the person’s own initiations and allowing them opportunities to make choices (Gurland and Grolnick 2003: 1213). The simplest way to do this is simply to follow the lead of the person, joining in with what the person is doing using the 3C’s, a technique that is also found in other social interventions and therapies including Dance and Movement Psychotherapy (Coaten 2011), and Early Years music practice (Pitt J and Arculus C 2018) and Rhythmic Relating (Daniel, Laurie, Delafield-Butt 2024)
References
Baker ZG, Watlington EM and Knee CR (2020) The role of rapport in satisfying one’s basic psychological needs. Motivation and Emotion. (2020) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-020-09819-5 (Accessed 23 March 2020)
Ryan RM and Deci EL (2002). Overview of self- determination theory: An organismic dialectical perspective. In E.L. Deci & R.M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of self- determination research (pp. 3–33). Rochester: The University of Rochester Press.
Gurland ST and Grolnick WS (2003) Childrens Expectancies and Perceptions of Adults: Effects on Rapport. Child Development 74(4): 1212–1224.
Zeilig H, Tischler V, Williams MVDB, West J and Strohmaier S (2019) Co-creativity, well-being and agency: A case study analysis of a co-creative arts group for people with dementia. Journal of Aging Studies 49: 16–24.
Coaten R (2011) ‘Going by way of the body in dementia care...’ Animated, the Community Dance Magazine, Spring Edition, 24-25
Pitt J and Arculus C (2018) SALT Music Research Report - Royal College of Music. . Available at: http://researchonline.rcm.ac.uk/334/1/SaltMusic-Research-Report.pdf (accessed 20 March 2020).
Daniel S, Laurie M and Delafield-Butt J T (2024) A Handbook to Rhythmic Relating in Autism: Bidirectional Support for Social Timing in Play, Learning. Hypothesis and Theory, Front. Psychol. - Pediatric Psychology [manuscript yet to be published]