Source:
https://thedebrief.org/good-news-nerds-playing-dungeons-and-dragons-is-probably-good-for-you/
Good News, Nerds! Playing Dungeons and Dragons is Probably Good for You
Christopher Plain·July 17, 2024
A newly published observational study by University College Cork (UCC)
found that people who play the well-known role-playing game Dungeons and
Dragons (often shortened to D&D) experience several processes that support
their mental health.
The researchers behind this unique work say their analysis revealed five
key themes supporting positive mental health through their interviews with
study subjects: escapism, exploration of self, creative expression, social
support, and routine. Among those areas, the researchers highlighted three
themes whose combination appeared to be unique to role-playing games like
D&D.
“Escapism, creative expression, and social support were identified among
the key aspects uniquely linked to the immersive and imaginative nature of
D&D gameplay,” the researchers explain.
While role-playing games are sometimes used as therapeutic tools to
support mental health, the researchers believe their study could encourage
mental health professionals to expand their usage, providing the
therapeutic value of games like D&D to a broader population.
Dungeons and Dragons Celebrates Five Decades of Popularity
In the press release announcing the study’s results, published in the
International Journal of Role-Playing, the College Cork researchers point
out that role-playing games experienced a surge in popularity during the
COVID-19 pandemic. This increase offered the team a unique opportunity to
study what benefits, if any, people playing this category of game may have
experienced during such a high-stress time.
Often touted as the most popular role-playing game in the world, D&D first
rose to popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, before computer games and the
internet were available. In recent years, social media and the ability to
gather virtually have allowed the game to expand globally, including a new
audience that wasn’t even born when the game was first invented in 1974.
The game has also benefited from the popularity of fantasy characters and
environments. This includes epic blockbusters like the Academy Award-
winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Harry Potter books and movie
series, and the success of books adapted to TV like the Game of Thrones
Saga and its new spin-off series House of Dragons.
To actually set up a game, players create individual characters with
unique backgrounds, character attributes, abilities, and weaknesses. The
players also select from various human characters, like Knights, Monks,
and Wizards. However, they can also select from creatures like Elves,
Dragons, Orcs, Dwarves, and other non-human beings that regularly populate
fictional fantasy worlds.
To play the game, these newly created characters are joined by a Dungeon
Master, or DM, who leads them through their customized adventure,
sometimes called a “campaign.” Moves are dictated by the rolling of
customized, multi-sided dice, adding a real-world element of chance to the
adventure.
While some “shorter” campaigns can stretch over just a few hours, many
people who play D&D have reported undertaking epic adventures that can
last weeks, months, or even years before reaching a definitive conclusion.
Sense of Control and Community Key to D&D’s Therapeutic Value
To conduct their analysis, the team enlisted 10 volunteers who regularly
played D&D during the pandemic. According to the study abstract, the team
employed a series of semi-structured interviews and a “reflexive thematic
analysis” with each individual volunteer. This data accumulation allowed
the team to “understand better how playing D&D interacted with players’
well-being psychologically and socially,” as well as explore numerous
other factors “that may prove challenging or problematic in the
therapeutic context.”
Among the first components the team’s research discovered that seemed to
support the mental health of its players was the fact that D&D is an
inherently social activity. When participating in a group activity like
this, each individual player typically benefits greatly from the
communication and collaboration of multiple players. For longer campaigns,
playing D&D can also involve scheduling and meeting with numerous
collaborators at many different times.
“Playing Dungeons and Dragons is an inherently social activity,” the
researchers explain, “requiring frequent group meetings for a period of
months or years and requiring creativity and collaboration from players.”
According to Orla Walsh, study lead and PhD researcher at UCC School of
Applied Psychology, this collaborative aspect of D&D on an inherently
creative effort tends to offer significant support to the mental health of
its players.
“Whilst many hobbies may allow for creative expression, D&D uniquely
allows players to collaboratively build and inhabit worlds of their
creation,” Walsh explained.
Along with the collaborative aspects of group play, the researchers also
noted two unique features of playing D&D that were well-known to support
positive mental health: a sense of escapism and a feeling of control.
According to Walsh, the ability to escape the stresses of everyday life
while also experiencing a feeling of control during something like
COVID-19 was likely critical to maintaining the player’s mental health,
while a sense of control is a well-known component supporting positive
mental health.
“Our research found that players discussed the benefits of escapism that
accompanied playing D&D and the positive impact that this had on their
mental health,” the researcher explained. “Players reported feeling a
strong sense of control in-game during times when they felt they did not
have control outside of the game.”
Finally, the researchers found that the inherent collaboration and
imaginative world-building associated with playing D&D offered emotional
and social connections that are increasingly absent in a post-COVID-19
world. These features are regularly observed in other activities that
support mental health. However, when experienced in a role-playing game
environment, they can help foster a sense of camaraderie that is unique
from similar experiences.
“The social support nurtured by playing D&D gives players emotional and
social connection and offers them a space in which they can express
themselves freely,” said Walsh. “While social support is a recognized
benefit of many group activities, the collaborative storytelling aspect of
D&D fosters a unique sense of camaraderie and shared experience among
players.”
Role-playing games Could Become A Valuable Tool for Improving Mental
Health
When discussing the team’s findings, Dr Conor Linehan from the UCC School
of Applied Psychology said their work found that D&D can bring “a myriad
of benefits” for its players, particularly regarding positive mental
health. The researcher also noted that while some clinicians and community
groups have begun to employ D&D and other role-playing games
therapeutically, that phenomenon is currently mainly limited to the United
States.
“Our study suggests that a wider rolling out of such therapeutic role-
playing groups may benefit Ireland and across the globe, offering the
great potential to support skills development, emotional exploration,
problem-solving and foster meaningful social connection,” Linehan
explained.
Ultimately, the team hopes that their work can inspire other researchers
to explore the role of games like D&D and any additional benefits they may
offer, as well as identify new ways to utilize the therapeutic value of
role-playing games.
“The findings of this study have the potential to enhance our
understanding of why D&D has proven successful in therapeutic settings,”
Linehan said. “It provides a foundation for understanding how the game
might be used as a tool in the future.”
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head
Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn
about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at
christopher@thedebrief.org.
[The Debrief] Good News, Nerds! Playing Dungeons and Dragons is Probably Good for You