From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

Source: https://www.radioexe.co.uk/news-and-features/local-news/dungeons-and-dragons-helps-with-autism/

Dungeons and Dragons helps with autism

Thursday, 5 September 2024 17:26

By Radio Exe News

Plymouth psychology reveals new research

Dungeons and Dragons can help people with autism relax in social
situations, a study jointly conducted in Devon and Sweden has concluded.

The roleplaying game is enjoyed by millions of people all over the
world, both in person and online, every day.

It can give people with autism a safe space to engage in social
interactions away from some of the challenges they face in their daily
lives.

The study, published in the journal Autism, was led by researchers from
the University of PlymouthrCOs School of Psychology along with colleagues
at Edge Hill University and Dalarna University in Sweden.

It saw researchers working with a group of autistic adults and aimed to explore whether finding a social situation where people felt comfortable
could help them to excel.

After some initial familiarisation with Dungeons and Dragons, the
participants rCo under the guidance of a games master rCo played out
scenarios within small groups over the space of six weeks.

They were then interviewed individually by the researchers about the
ways they felt their autism might have interacted with their experiences
and, in turn, whether taking part in the game impacted their lives.

In those interviews, the participants spoke at length about their social desires and motivations, but how this came with challenges such as a
lack of confidence in their communication with others, and insecurities
about how other people would perceive them. This, they said, often
resulted in them masking, or hiding, autistic traits.

Playing Dungeons and Dragons, they said, provided them with a friendly environment in which they very quickly felt a sense of innate kinship
with others taking part.

Understanding common issues linked to activities inside and outside of
the game allowed them to relax without feeling pressure to act in a
certain way, and as a result they felt included in rCo and able to better contribute to rCo the grouprCOs interactions.

The participants also felt able to take some of the traits from their
new character outside of the game, where it enabled them to feel
differently about themselves.

Dr Gray Atherton, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Plymouth
and the studyrCOs lead author, said: rCLThere are many myths and misconceptions about autism, with some of the biggest suggesting that
those with it arenrCOt socially motivated, or donrCOt have any imagination.

Dungeons and Dragons goes against all that, centring around working
together in a team, all of which takes place in a completely imaginary environment. Those taking part in our study saw the game as a breath of
fresh air, a chance to take on a different persona and share experiences outside of an often-challenging reality. That sense of escapism made
them feel incredibly comfortable, and many of them said they were now
trying to apply aspects of it in their daily lives.rCY

Dr Atherton and Dr Liam Cross, also a Lecturer in Psychology in Plymouth
and the current studyrCOs senior author, have been working for many years
to understand the impact of gaming on people with autism and other
similar conditions.

Another recently published study showed that those with autism enjoy
board games because they took the pressure off the uncertainty around
meeting and interacting with people, removing the need for small talk.

Dr Cross added: rCLAutism comes with several stigmas, and that can lead to people being met with judgement or disdain. We also hear from lots of
families who have concerns about whether teenagers with autism are
spending too much time playing things like video games. A lot of the
time that is because people have a picture in their minds of how a
person with autism should behave, but that is based on neurotypical experiences. Our studies have shown that there are everyday games and
hobbies that autistic people do not simply enjoy but also gain
confidence and other skills from. It might not be the case for everyone
with autism, but our work suggests it can enable people to have positive experiences that are worth celebrating.rCY
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