Social Support Derived from Virtual and Analog Table-Top Role-Playing Games: The Supportive Role of Table-Top Gaming.

IF 2.8 3区 医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Maxim I Kozlov, Erin L O'Connor
{"title":"Social Support Derived from Virtual and Analog Table-Top Role-Playing Games: The Supportive Role of Table-Top Gaming.","authors":"Maxim I Kozlov, Erin L O'Connor","doi":"10.1177/2161783X251378630","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i><b>Objective:</b></i> Gaming has been suggested as an effective way to exchange social support, a resource critical to global mental health and post-pandemic recovery. Virtual and analog (pen-and-paper) table-top role-playing game (TTRPG) popularity grew during and following the pandemic; yet, unlike their video-game counterparts research into TTRPGs remains limited. Parallel to online video-games, TTRPGs may be similarly positioned to foster and promote social support. Informed by analogous gaming research, this study explored how players give and receive social support within face-to-face and virtual TTRPGs through a stress buffering lens. <i><b>Materials and Methods:</b></i> Using a cross-sectional survey methodology, based on the 2-way social support scale data from 186 participants was analyzed to determine if differences exist across social, demographic and gameplay variables. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Participants derived more meaningful social support through analog TTRPGs, although virtual TTRPG interfaces still afford meaningful social support, while benefiting from greater accessibility. Participants in the role of \"game masters\", who act as game facilitators and narrators, were shown to provide more social support than players, while greater levels of social support encouraged ongoing attendance. Additionally, players' consistent attendance and social familiarity enhanced given and received social support. Lastly, although similar social support was reported across genders, males were overrepresented in game-directing positions of power. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This is the first known study to explore social support within TTRPGs. The findings have implications for the design of games to support communities, post-pandemic recovery, and therapeutic applications. Future research is encouraged.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Games for Health Journal","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2161783X251378630","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: Gaming has been suggested as an effective way to exchange social support, a resource critical to global mental health and post-pandemic recovery. Virtual and analog (pen-and-paper) table-top role-playing game (TTRPG) popularity grew during and following the pandemic; yet, unlike their video-game counterparts research into TTRPGs remains limited. Parallel to online video-games, TTRPGs may be similarly positioned to foster and promote social support. Informed by analogous gaming research, this study explored how players give and receive social support within face-to-face and virtual TTRPGs through a stress buffering lens. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey methodology, based on the 2-way social support scale data from 186 participants was analyzed to determine if differences exist across social, demographic and gameplay variables. Results: Participants derived more meaningful social support through analog TTRPGs, although virtual TTRPG interfaces still afford meaningful social support, while benefiting from greater accessibility. Participants in the role of "game masters", who act as game facilitators and narrators, were shown to provide more social support than players, while greater levels of social support encouraged ongoing attendance. Additionally, players' consistent attendance and social familiarity enhanced given and received social support. Lastly, although similar social support was reported across genders, males were overrepresented in game-directing positions of power. Conclusion: This is the first known study to explore social support within TTRPGs. The findings have implications for the design of games to support communities, post-pandemic recovery, and therapeutic applications. Future research is encouraged.

来自虚拟和模拟桌面角色扮演游戏的社会支持:桌面游戏的支持作用
目标:游戏被认为是交换社会支持的有效方式,而社会支持是对全球心理健康和大流行后恢复至关重要的资源。在疫情期间和之后,虚拟和模拟(纸笔)桌面角色扮演游戏(TTRPG)越来越受欢迎;然而,与电子游戏不同的是,对ttrpg的研究仍然有限。与在线视频游戏类似,ttrpg可能同样定位于培养和促进社会支持。根据类似的游戏研究,本研究探讨了玩家如何通过压力缓冲透镜在面对面和虚拟ttrpg中给予和接受社会支持。材料和方法:使用横断面调查方法,基于来自186名参与者的双向社会支持量表数据进行分析,以确定是否存在社会,人口统计和游戏变量之间的差异。结果:参与者通过模拟TTRPG获得更多有意义的社会支持,尽管虚拟TTRPG接口仍然提供有意义的社会支持,同时受益于更大的可访问性。扮演“游戏大师”角色(游戏邦注:即充当游戏引导者和叙述者)的参与者比玩家提供更多的社会支持,而更高水平的社会支持则鼓励玩家持续参与游戏。此外,玩家的持续出席和社交熟悉度增强了给予和获得的社会支持。最后,尽管两性都有类似的社会支持,但男性在游戏指导职位上的比例过高。结论:这是已知的第一个探索ttrpg中社会支持的研究。这些发现对支持社区、流行病后恢复和治疗应用的游戏设计具有启示意义。鼓励未来的研究。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
CiteScore
6.70
自引率
11.40%
发文量
56
期刊介绍: Games for Health Journal is the first peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing the impact of game research, technologies, and applications on human health and well-being. This ground-breaking publication delivers original research that directly impacts this emerging, widely-recognized, and increasingly adopted area of healthcare. Games are rapidly becoming an important tool for improving health behaviors ranging from healthy lifestyle habits and behavior modification, to self-management of illness and chronic conditions to motivating and supporting physical activity. Games are also increasingly used to train healthcare professionals in methods for diagnosis, medical procedures, patient monitoring, as well as for responding to epidemics and natural disasters. Games for Health Journal is a must for anyone interested in the research and design of health games that integrate well-tested, evidence-based behavioral health strategies to help improve health behaviors and to support the delivery of care. Games for Health Journal coverage includes: -Nutrition, weight management, obesity -Disease prevention, self-management, and adherence -Cognitive, mental, emotional, and behavioral health -Games in home-to-clinic telehealth systems
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:604180095
Book学术官方微信