About

MISSION

A large scale, multi-phased, long term, multi-variable, triple-blind series of research studies to determine the therapeutic aspects of role playing gaming.

PROJECT

There are many sub-projects contained in the overal RPG Project, from demographics gathering and case studies, to small shorter term research projects, building towards a larger body of data planned over the next 20+ years of research efforts.

The overall project is dedicated to ascertaining by means of the use of various metrical and scientific methods the therapeutic aspects of role playing gaming. Considerations include cognitive, behavioral, biological, humanistic, sociological, cognitive-neuropsychological, psychodynamic and other relevant approaches.

Based on the analysis of the data gathered, potential therapeutic implementations may become apparent. Therapeutic recreation techniques in conjunction with role playing gaming activities may be used to meet client needs either as a standalone tool or to work in conjunction with other treatment modalities for various population groups.

PURPOSE

To determine the causal therapeutic characteristics of role playing gaming.

To date approximately 80 studies have been published related to participation in role playing games and their effects on participants. To date most have relied solely on correlative data, and do not ascertain causal impacts and approaches or possible modifications for increased efficacy as a therapeutic modality. The correlative data indicates many possible areas of benefit to participants, but this has not yet been clearly delineated through extensive experimentation, observation, metrics, and longitudinal tracking.

It is hoped through the efforts of the RPG Research Project to define the specific causal therapeutic characteristics of role playing gaming with the eventual possibility of developing the most effective therapies possible using role playing games.

HISTORY

This website was originally created for the RPG Research Project in 2006. The project founder, W.A. Hawke Robinson, first began formally researching the educational and social impacts of role playing games in 1985 as a response to the barrage of negative press and public misinformation about role playing games popular in the 1980's. Further development in consideration of broader psychosocial impacts from role playing games resumed with an essay written for the Therapeutic Recreation Department at Eastern Washington University in 2004, followed by a number of successive documents and publications continuing to develop more detailed hypotheses, theses and series of research projects.

There are scores of existing RPG-related research projects, but most are either just using correlative data, narrow in data-set scope, very small in scale, and/or only over a very short timeline.

GOALS

The intention of this series of studies using many different population groups is to:

1. Determine and differentiate between correlative demographic variables found between role playing gamers and role playing gaming forms such as classic paper and dice tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, live action role playing games (LARP), and computer-based role playing games both solo and Massive Multieplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) types, virtual reality and similar immersive technologies integrated with RPG.
2. Determine what, if any, are the causal influences on those who participate regularly in role playing gaming recreational activities.
3. If data indicates potential causal effects, clarify the variables and look for any differentiations in results between the different formats (paper & dice, LARP, computer-based, etc.).
4. Attempt to determine if there are any differentiations in impact on test subjects between "Heroic" and "Evil" gaming single sessions or longer "campaigns" over short and long time periods.
5. Determine differences between various populations and cultures in impact and response to participating in role playing games.
6. Determine what (if any) "positive" or "negative" statistically significant characteristics can clearly be defined and might be most useful as therapeutic treatment options either separately or in conjunction with other treatments.
7. Adjust various hypotheses and theories according to the data gathered, and further ascertain the possibilities of developing effective therapeutic approaches using role playing gaming for the treatment of various clients' needs.

FOUNDATIONAL HOLISTIC APPROACH

A guiding principle that inspires the project foundation is summarized below:

"Holistic medicine treats the person rather than the disease,
it's concern lies with the 'whole person' and with permitting
individuals to assume self-responsibility for their own health.
Whereas illness is the sole concern of 'traditional medicine',
holistic 'well medicine' deals with wellness and health promotion"

The holistic approach is meant to include all aspects of the client, including biological, environmental, socio-cultural, psychological, and other variables impacting their overall well-being.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

It is hoped that over time others around the world with similar interests in role playing gaming research will consider coordinating and/or pooling their resources through this website and it's many features, to create a central repository where professionals, researchers, therapists, and laymen alike will be able to find all the information they need on this expansive topic.