DESIGNING AN APPLIED BOARD GAME SYSTEM INTERVENTION TO PROMOTE SOCIAL WELLNESS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE SOCIAL ANXIETY

Date of Award

9-15-2023

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Design

Advisor(s)

Donald Carr

Keywords

Applied Board Game;Design;Game Design;Guiding Principles for Social Wellness;Social Anxiety;Social Wellness

Abstract

The 21st century has seen a rise in social anxiety levels around the world, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, which has served as a catalyst for the same. The cause comes from many factors, including the interconnectedness of the world through social media, among other changes. Young adults in the US who are at the conventional age to study at universities have faced the highest rise in social anxiety levels. Mental health experts have been at the forefront, tackling this challenge. Despite their expertise, the outreach for therapy sees limitations due to the unmet demand and individuals avoiding therapy. The limited availability of sessions often slows the progress for individuals. Congruently, the board game market has surged exponentially since 2017. While video games have been used to tackle social anxiety, board games have not, despite possessing advantages over video games due to their in-person nature. In this paper, the applied board game intervention, Erasmus, uses ‘guiding principles for social wellness in an applied game’ to investigate the nascent intersection of social anxiety and board games. Designed using existing research about social anxiety, game design, and design, Erasmus is intended for mass market availability to be an easily accessible social wellness boosting product.

Access

Open Access

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