Ethical challenges of building rapport

Ethical challenges of building rapport

Qualitative researchers frequently encounter ethical tensions when building rapport with vulnerable participants in interviews. A recent study by Schmid, Garrels, and Skåland (2024) identified key challenges: the need for extra rapport-building efforts, the risk of disclosing more than intended, and the struggle to maintain professional boundaries while balancing emotional support. Too little rapport can hinder data collection, while over-rapport may lead participants to overshare, risking emotional harm or regret. Researchers must find a balance to protect both themselves and participants. Training programs should emphasize these ethical tensions to ensure researchers can navigate rapport carefully in sensitive settings.

One key tension is ensuring that rapport-building efforts do not blur the lines between researcher and participant. While building trust and empathy is essential to gather rich, detailed data, researchers must also maintain professional boundaries to avoid emotional entanglement. Researchers often feel compelled to offer additional support, particularly when participants disclose highly sensitive or traumatic information, creating a moral dilemma over their responsibility toward the participant’s well-being. Some researchers also experience over-rapport, where participants confide beyond the study’s scope or later regret sharing personal information, complicating the researcher’s role.

Another challenge arises when rapport influences the flow of information in interviews. Participants who trust the researcher may disclose more personal details, some irrelevant to the study, placing researchers in ethically complex situations. Vulnerable participants may also share distressing or traumatic experiences that researchers must navigate without causing harm. Determining when to push forward with sensitive questions or when to hold back is a critical skill that researchers must develop to balance data collection and the participant’s emotional health.

In addressing these tensions, qualitative researchers need to be conscious of the continuum of rapport, avoiding both under and over-rapport. Too little rapport results in distant, shallow interviews, while too much can result in emotional strain for both parties. Academic programs and research institutions should incorporate discussions about these ethical challenges, encouraging researchers to approach rapport-building with greater care and ethical awareness (Schmid, Garrels, & Skåland, 2024). This can prevent the negative effects of over-rapport, such as re-traumatization, and reduce the chances of participants withdrawing their consent after interviews.

Ultimately, the study by Schmid, Garrels, and Skåland (2024) calls for a more nuanced and reflective approach to rapport-building, urging qualitative researchers to be attentive to the balance between establishing trust and respecting boundaries. By fostering a clear understanding of the ethical implications of rapport in interviews with vulnerable populations, researchers can collect richer data while safeguarding the well-being of their participants.

Conclusion

Rapport building in interviews is a vital process that creates a space where participants feel safe, valued, and willing to share personal or sensitive information. Through a combination of active listening, eye contact, non-verbal cues, and positive reinforcement, interviewers foster trust and attentiveness, encouraging more open communication. Strong rapport leads to richer, more detailed data by helping participants feel comfortable discussing topics they may otherwise withhold.

In interviews, researchers are advised to maintain a balance between showing genuine interest and preserving professional boundaries. Active listening involves engaging fully in the conversation, offering affirmations, and asking open-ended questions that prompt deeper reflection. Using non-verbal cues, such as mirroring body language, enhances connection and builds a sense of synchrony between the interviewer and interviewee.

Researchers must be careful not to push participants too far or invade their comfort zones while still striving to gather valuable data. Ethical concerns arise when rapport is taken too far, where participants may feel pressured to share personal details they later regret. In vulnerable populations, such as those dealing with trauma or sensitive personal issues, rapport must be managed with sensitivity to prevent re-traumatization or feelings of exploitation. The line between trust-building and professional distance must be carefully maintained to ensure that participants’ well-being is prioritized, even as researchers seek detailed insights.

Overall, rapport building is essential for meaningful qualitative research but must be navigated with care, particularly in sensitive settings. Academic training and researcher preparation should emphasize the ethical dimensions of rapport, equipping researchers to foster trust without crossing personal boundaries. By carefully managing rapport, qualitative researchers can gather rich, authentic data while maintaining the ethical integrity of their research process and protecting the emotional well-being of their participants.

References

1. Horsfall, M., Eikelenboom, M., Draisma, S., & Smit, J. H. (2021). The Effect of Rapport on Data Quality in Face-to-Face Interviews: Beneficial or Detrimental?. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(20), 10858. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010858
2. Schmid, E., Garrels, V., & Skåland, B. (2024). The continuum of rapport: Ethical tensions in qualitative interviews with vulnerable participants. Qualitative Research, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941231224600