But We’re Heroes: The Use of Tabletop Roleplaying Games as an Intervention for Social Anxiety in University Students
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are an increasingly popular hobby. These games have been used to improve social skills and mental well-being. Social anxiety and isolation have become increasingly problematic on college campuses. Current methods for treating social anxiety, such as CBT and exposure therapy, have proven effective in treating social anxiety but have a high non-completion rate. The gamification of therapeutic interventions has proven to be a method to increase enrollment and retention in such interventions. Moreover, adding social skills reinforcement to exposure therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for social anxiety. A specifically designed Dungeons & Dragons adventure was constructed to simulate exposure therapy conditions for social anxiety. A pilot group of five university students were then run through the adventure and given both pre and post-tests measuring social anxiety and a qualitative interview after the intervention. Some of the specific items looking at social anxiety that were targeted in the intervention showed improvement. Additionally, the qualitative interviews suggest that the participants found a positive outcome from the intervention. Limitations, practice implications, and needs for further research are also discussed. Keywords: social anxiety; group therapy, tabletop role-playing games, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D
Author: Burnett, Allen F.
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7166938262