Developing and testing an explanatory model of complete mental health in tabletop role-playing games.

Abstract

There is growing interest in the therapeutic potential of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), with practitioners and not-for-profits using TTRPGs to support social connection and social skill development. However, this interest has generated a practice-research gap, with practice vastly outpacing the research supporting it. Addressing this gap is vital to ensure the use of TTRPGs as an intervention is evidence-based. This is particularly true given the stigma faced by games like Dungeons and Dragons in the 1980s. The aim of this study is to address this gap by exploring the relationship between psychological need satisfaction, social connectedness, and social–emotional development and thei..