Learning and Therapy
Further Reading
Board games, though not explicitly designed for these purposes, have also been demonstrated to provide therapeutic effects on both health and mental wellbeing (Swank, 2008, Atherton and Cross, 2021, Kviat, 2024, Bennett et al., 2025), can be used as a therapeutic tool or aid for therapists (Matorin and McNamara, 1996, Atherton et al., 2025), and educators (Kirriemuir and McFarlane, 2004, McClarty et al., 2012). Commercial board games are gaining increasing attention as potential therapeutic and pedagogical tools (Atherton & Cross 2021). Furthermore, the benefits of commercial board games as pedagogical and/or educational tools for the development of strategic thinking, abstract thinking, planning, communication, negotiation, and teamwork skills have been discovered (Kirriemuir and McFarlane, 2004, Matorin and McNamara, 1996).
For example, in (Kviat, 2024), the author states that board games provide structured and shared social experiences and they make existing social infrastructures (such as pubs, cafes, etc.) more convivial and accessible to diverse demographics, including neurodiverse (“ND”) people, thereby reducing social anxiety and isolation. In Marjanen et al. (2011), the authors demonstrated that board games could support social learning and emotional skills (such as empathy and understanding) in children. In Eisenack (2013), the author states that face-to-face communication simulates real-world negotiations, discussions and questioning better than a video game and that the experiences from the board gameplay provide an effective starting point for debriefing and discussion of real-world topics. These skills could be promoted and encouraged to grow through interactions and discussions that were present in the game, and these skills were found to be transferable to their daily lives. Many board games provide opportunities for ND players to practice essential social skills (such as cooperation and social deduction) (Atherton et al., 2024) and to express themselves and their lived experiences (Atherton et al., 2025).
Research Groups
Check out cutting edge research into games and their effects.
Neuroplay Lab delves into various facets of social and embodied cognition, exploring topics such as group dynamics, stereotypes, and pro-social behaviour.
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Board Game Academics publishes articles and essays, holds conferences, and provides consulting support to organizations discussing the role of tabletop board games, card games, roleplaying games, and other analog gaming experiences.
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This research group investigates interactive games - including video games, board games and other types of play - in the context of their history, production and socio-cultural value towards a greater understanding of their impact and importance to society.
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Bibliography
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ATHERTON, G., DAWSON, E. & CROSS, L. 2024. "We've All Come Together": A Board-Gaming Approach for Working with Autistic People. American Journal of Play, 16, 97-122. https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1733&context=psy-research
ATHERTON, G., DAWSON, E. & CROSS, L. 2025. Metaphors and myths: using the board game Dixit to understand the autistic lived experience. Discover Psychology, 5, 35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00340-9
BENNETT, R., STURDEE, M., KERSHAW, P. & SMITH, I. C. 2025. “Life has more purpose now”: A grounded theory investigation of the impact of table-top board games on wellbeing and functioning in autistic adults. Research in Autism, 126, 202644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2025.202644
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