Research Project on the Therapeutic Aspects of Role Playing Gaming...

I had some tentative discussions last August (2005) about setting up a web-based form to collect demographics information from RPGers as a precursor to a more complete research project I'm developing related to the therapeutic aspects (and/or risks) of role playing gaming (paper and dice games such as D&D ( Dungeons & Dragon), not computers).

I received more than 100 replies just from the Merp.com email list alone from folks saying they'd participate.

Last week I spoke with the director of the Psychology department for the university,
as well as several other psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists, on my
long term plans, and surprisingly received very encouraging feedback, encouragement, and guidance.

Click the "READ MORE" link to this article to read the rest....

After MerpCon II is done, sometime in August this year, I will create a database, and web-based software demographics form. (Probably using Python / Zope / Plone)

I will notify all the role playing gaming lists and boards I can think of when it is online.

There will be a little bit of a verification process, so that there's at least a modicum of control on who fills in the form (so I don't have spammers and
others of more mischievous intent filling the form in randomly).

That will run for a few months. Then the data will be gathered and analyzed.

After that, I will be working with others to put together a grant proposal to fund a complete research project on the therapeutic aspects of role playing gaming.

I hope to submit that proposal sometime in the summer of 2007.

The process for grant acceptance can be lengthy, and I've never done it before. But hopefully within the year after that (August 2007), there will be sufficient funding, staffing, and facilities for the
actual research project to begin.

It will have several stages, and is intended to span 10 years with several different populations studied.

There will be a battery of tests (such as MMPI, WAIS/WISC, IQ, Bender, Mental health
status, etc.) at the initiation of each participant, and then the tests taken again at intervals (such as 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2 years, 3 years, 5 years, and finally 10 years).

This will be a large and rather expensive enterprise, because it will be necessary to pay participants (in addition to staff) to keep the attrition levels to as much of a minimum as possible, and will need as large a sample
group as possible (at least 500 participants at a bare minimum, and preferably 1,000+ participants).

Each group will be in triple blind studies, with assignment to control groups and placebo groups as well.

These groups roughly include (but are not limited to):
A group ages 8-12 years old.
A group ages 13 to 20
A group ages 21+.

Some groups may be only people who have never role played before.
Other groups may be only those who have role played before/currently.
There is currently some debate as to the merits of having any groups that are a mix of non-gamers and gamers with previous experience.

I just thought I would share this with folks as a very early heads up. (I have already posted this article on the merp@merp.com mailing list and had positive feedback so far).

I welcome any feedback or suggestions. Keeping in mind, this is in the earliest stages and only a rough road map for the project so far.
You may email me at: hawke at merp dot com.

Cheers!
--
--Hawke

http://www.hawkes-haven.com
Recreational Therapist in training.
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