Background
In the current climate of Covid-19 and world-wide social distancing, the mental health toll has been widely reported, with expectation the negative impact will last beyond the lockdowns. An unknown future and continuing challenges means resilience is both topical and necessary. In response, there has been a call for innovative, digitally delivered interventions to help people impacted by the pandemic. Correspondingly, there has been a surge in on-line play-based social interactions (e.g. ‘Zoom games’). This study explored participants’ experience of playing an on-line positive psychology-informed board game, designed to introduce evidence-based approaches to resilience.
Research Question
How does playing an online positive psychology board game impact perceived capacity for resilience for life after lockdown?
Sample Characteristics and Sample Size
Sixteen (F=14 M=2) multi-national participants (aged between 25-65) played in five groups of 3–4.
Design
This study utilised a qualitative research design. Participants played the game in groups of 3–4 in a live on-line group setting. Data was collected via focus groups and analysed using Thematic Analysis.
Results
Participants described a broadening of resources, through reflecting on and remembering their prior history of resilience, and demonstrated enhanced self-efficacy. Four themes were identified which, it is suggested, facilitated this outcome in a sequential, upward spiral; game mechanisms (release), psychological safety (reflect), meaningful conversations (remember) and anchoring of prior experiences (reuse). Critically, this study finds that psychological safety was amplified by the online environment and, whilst not part of the original intervention, the post-game reflection played an essential role in meaning-making and transferring learning into real-life.
Scientific Contribution
This study is the first of its kind to explore positive psychology and play through the use of an online board game. Future research into how online environments might not just facilitate, but augment, interventions is recommended. Additionally, this study calls for further research into the impact of playful positive psychology interventions, suggesting a potential development of ‘serious play’ towards ‘seriously positive play’.