Rhythmic Relating: Bidirectional Support for Social Timing in Autism Therapies

• Published in: Frontiers in psychology Vol. 13; p. 793258
• Main Authors: Daniel, Stuart, Wimpory, Dawn, Delafield-Butt, Jonathan T, Malloch, Stephen, Holck, Ulla, Geretsegger, Monika, Tortora, Suzi, Osborne, Nigel, Schögler, Benjaman, Koch, Sabine, Elias-Masiques, Judit, Howorth, Marie-Claire, Dunbar, Penelope, Swan, Karrie, Rochat, Magali J, Schlochtermeier, Robin, Forster, Katharine, Amos, Pat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 16-05-2022
• Subjects: autism; Psychology; Rhythmic Relating; sensorimotor integration; social timing; synchrony; therapy; therapy; Rhythmic Relating; social timing; Communicative Musicality; movement; synchrony; autism; sensorimotor integration
• ISSN: 1664-1078; 1664-1078
• DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.793258

We propose
for autism: a system of supports for friends, therapists, parents, and educators; a system which aims to augment bidirectional communication and complement existing therapeutic approaches. We begin by summarizing the developmental significance of
and the
challenges observed in early autism. Meta-analyses conclude the early primacy of such challenges, yet cite the lack of focused therapies. We identify core relational parameters in support of social-motor-synchrony and systematize these using the
constructs:
;
; and
.
aims to augment the clarity, contiguity, and pulse-beat of spontaneous behavior by recruiting rhythmic supports (cues, accents, turbulence) and relatable vitality; facilitating the predictive flow and just-ahead-in-time planning needed for good-enough social timing. From here, we describe possibilities for playful therapeutic interaction, small-step co-regulation, and layered sensorimotor integration. Lastly, we include several clinical case examples demonstrating the use of
within four different therapeutic approaches (Dance Movement Therapy, Improvisational Music Therapy, Play Therapy, and Musical Interaction Therapy). These clinical case examples are introduced here and several more are included in the Supplementary Material (Examples of Rhythmic Relating in Practice). A suite of pilot intervention studies is proposed to assess the efficacy of combining
with different therapeutic approaches in playful work with individuals with autism. Further experimental hypotheses are outlined, designed to clarify the significance of certain key features of the
approach.