Adventuring through research: Exploring the role of tabletop RPGs in neurodiverse communities

This research grew from a lifelong passion for board and card games, beginning with early family experiences with gaming. Following my father’s stroke in 2020 and his recovery through physiotherapy and occupational therapy, I was inspired to work as a support worker with disabled and neurodivergent people. I found this work both challenging and rewarding, which strengthened my interest in contributing to this field through research. This ethnographic pilot project explores the educational and therapeutic potential of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), with a particular focus on Dungeons & Dragons . Using participant observation and semi-structured interviews with neurodivergent players, the research examines how these games are experienced, how they shape social interaction, and how they affect wellbeing. The project seeks to challenge neurotypical assumptions about role-playing games and their communities, and to better understand and represent the experiences of the players themselves. This study aims to highlight the value of tabletop role-playing games as tools for inclusion, wellbeing, and future therapeutic and educational research.