(Social) Skills Quest – Using D&D to Facilitate Social Connection: Long-Term Format and Outcomes

A presentation outlining the format and structure of an ongoing, long-term therapy group that utilizes a Dungeons & Dragons campaign to facilitate the development of social skills, address social anxiety and social isolation, and encourage experiential and emotional learning. Topics to be discussed include, benefits and limitations of the ongoing, long-term group structure, the format of weekly group sessions, and qualitative and quantitative clinical outcomes from group participants.

Objectives:

·     Describe how D&D can be utilized as a group therapy format to address client goals.

·     Identify possible therapeutic outcomes associated with long-term group participation.

·     Develop a group format that integrates D&D gameplay.

·     Evaluate client outcomes in the short- and long-term.

References:

·     Abbott, M. S., Stauss, K. A., & Burnett, A. F. (2022). Table-top role-playing games as a therapeutic intervention with adults to increase social connectedness. Social Work with Groups, 45(1), 16-31.

·     Arenas, D. L., Viduani, A., & Araujo, R. B. (2022). Therapeutic use of role-playing game (RPG) in mental health: A scoping review. Simulation & Gaming, 53(3), 285-311.

·     Daniau, S. (2016). The transformative potential of role-playing games—: From play skills to human skills. Simulation & Gaming, 47(4), 423-444. 5.

·     Slaughter, A., & Orth, S. (2023). An uncontrolled case study of a tabletop role-playing therapy group with difficult-to-engage patients. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 73(2), 116-140.