Using role playing games to

drive social skill development

Jamie Wilkinson, MS LPCa
Benchmark Family Services

Presented at the Living Games Conference

May XX, 2016, Austin, TX

About the Presenter

Education
M.S. in Psychology
M.S. in Clinical Mental Health
Counseling Crisis & Trauma
Management
Working on PhD in Clinical
Psychology

Employment
Foster Care Therapist
Child Protective Services Investigator
In-home Behavioral Health Service
Provider
Licensed Professional Counselor
associate
State-certified Domestic Violence
Batterer Intervention Provider

Overview
Using commercially available role-playing games in a therapeutic foster-care setting.
Cognitive-behavioral Play-based intervention
Theoretical application based on learning styles & cognitive-behavioral interventions.
Clinical Project
Demographic information of participants (if applicable):
-- Therapeutic Foster Care Agency
-- Mage: The Ascension, 3rd Edition, Table-Top w/ select MET LARP/Chronicles of Darkness rule adjustments
-- Project initiated in 2012
-- 16 individuals participated in the project.
3 Male, Caucasian, Age 30+
5 Female, Caucasian, Age 30+
1 Female, African American, Age 30+
2 Male, Caucasian, Age 11 - 16
2 Male, Caucasian, Age 19
2 Female, Caucasian, Age 18 - 20
1 Male, Caucasian, Age 28
As a clinical intervention, role-playing games facilitate social skill development through vicarious experiences and that
outcomes can be generalized to include commercially available role-playing games in non-Clinical settings.

Key Points
Role-play is an empirically tested, effective clinical
intervention.
Direct & vicarious experiences provide the individual
with opportunities to use different social skills.
Social Skill improvement occurs through repeated,
successful applications resulting in positively-perceived
outcomes.

Role-play is an empirically tested,

effective clinical intervention.
Role-playing games are an accepted method of engaging in
vicarious learning experiences.
These experiences provide opportunities to develop new
behavioral responses that can be generalized to a variety of
experiences.
Outcomes are reflected in social learning theory, where
behavioral expressions are reinforced or extinguished based
upon the observed or experienced consequences (Bandura,
1977)
Role-play, as a strategy for behavior formation, is a direct
application of social learning theory.

Direct & vicarious experiences provide the individual

with opportunities to use different social skills.
The individual takes on the role of another, shifting their perspective to
that of the actor directly experiencing the event.
The individual will either imitate the demonstrated behavioral
expression when directly experiencing the same situation if the
observed consequences are favorable, or will choose a different
behavioral expression if unfavorable (Mowrer, 1960).
Increased repetition of experiences and outcomes increases the overall
salience of an experience, improving the likelihood of recall, also known
as cognitive priming (Garrett, Grady, & Hasher, 2010; Sternberg, 2009;
Kwisthout, et. al; 2008; Poole, 2008).
Applications of the role-play intervention through having additional
opportunities to practice basic social skills, potentially resulting in skill
mastery (Webster-Stratton, 2016; Rosselet & Stauffer, 2013).

Social Skill improvement occurs through repeated,

successful applications resulting in positively-perceived
outcomes.
The individual player looks to the individual coordinating the overall
story for information that enables them to determine what
behavioral expressions will be made.
Behavioral expressions are reinforced or extinguished based upon
the observed or experienced consequences (Bandura, 1977).
Increased repetition of experiences and outcomes increases the
overall salience of an experience, improving the likelihood of recall,
also known as cognitive priming (Garrett, Grady, & Hasher, 2010;
Sternberg, 2009; Kwisthout, et. al; 2008; Poole, 2008).
Role-play provides additional opportunities to practice social skills
and receive corrective feedback, eventually resulting in skill
mastery (Adamo & De Falco, 2012; Cox,et. al; 1999).

Conclusion
As a clinical intervention, role-playing games facilitate social skill development through vicarious experiences
and that outcomes can be generalized to include commercially available role-playing games in non-Clinical
settings.
Role-play incorporates direct and vicarious learning experiences in a variety of different domains, allowing
participants to explore different behavioral responses and analyzing overall effectiveness on personal gain.
Limitations:

Not a properly developed scientific study.

No IRB approval.
No clear recognition of variables.
No clear methodology.
Insufficient sample size.
Insufficient population access to establish statistical power.

Utilizing commercial role-playing games, regardless of implementation method, can provide mental/behavioral
health therapists with a low-cost alternative to improving social skills.
Future Research Opportunities:
Does the content of the session influence the extent to which social skill development occurs?
Would results be generalizable to include Live Action Role Playing games?
How does the social skill development of the population that engages in role-playing activities compare against those within
the same population that doesnt engage in role-playing activities?

Bibliography
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science, 27(6), 431-458.
Mowrer, O. (1960). Learning theory and behavior.
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Webster-Stratton, C. (2016). The incredible years: Use of play interventions and coaching for children with externalizing
difficulties. In L. A. Reddy, T. M. Files-Hall, C. E. Schaefer, L. A. (Ed) Reddy, T. M. (Ed) Files-Hall, & C. E. (Ed) Schaefer (Eds.),
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Contact Information
Jamie Wilkinson, MS LPCa
Benchmark Family Services
jwilkinson@lancerservices.us
859-816-8062