A pilot program using Tabletop Role-Playing Games to reduce social anxiety and addiction symptoms in online gamers

Background. Gamers with poor self-concept, high social anxiety, and high loneliness are at risk of problematic involvement in online videogames. There is a research gap in treatment approaches for such types of problematic gamers. This study tested the feasibility and initial efficacy of a structured protocol in which socially anxious online gamers were exposed to offline social skills in real-life social interactions while playing a Tabletop Role-Playing Game (Dungeons and Dragons). Methods. The experiment lasted 10 weeks and involved 10 sessions organized within 3 progressive modules. Each module involves one written role-playing scenario designed to challenge participants in terms of gameplay, and to emerge them in a story based on maturing relationships with other characters and on solving challenges. Our study used a multiple single-case experimental design with a 3-week baseline across 4 groups of 5 gamers and a 3-month follow-up. Outcomes assessed included social anxiety and gaming disorder symptoms, self-esteem, loneliness, and assertiveness. Results. 18 out of the 20 enrolled participants completed the whole program and 17 out of the 20 enrolled participants completed the follow-up. Single-case analyses showed that a subgroup of participants benefited from the intervention through a reduction in social anxiety and a reduction in problematic gaming, although the effect sizes for the whole group were of small or small-to-medium magnitude. Conclusions. This pilot study shows that our approach is feasible and can be used to reduce social anxiety and gaming disorder symptoms. Next step involves implementing and testing our program in a sample of clinical participants.