How Do Dungeon Masters and Players Contribute to the Needs Satisfaction (or Frustration) in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition?
Keywords:
tabletop, role-playing games, game master, needs, Dungeons & Dragons, basic psychological needs, needs satisfaction, self-determination, intrinsic motivation, autonomy-support, well beingAbstract
Emerging research suggests tabletop role-playing games may support the basic psychological needs of players, contributing to well-being and flourishing. Yet, exactly how tabletop role-playing games promote needs satisfaction remains unclear and requires further research. This research focus is critical due to the rising interest in the therapeutic use of tabletop role-playing games. This study used an online qualitative survey (N = 1120) and reflexive thematic analysis to investigate this area in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th Edition. Five key themes were developed: Compelling versus Uncompelling Game Worlds, Character Engagement versus Disengagement, Supporting versus Restricting Player Agency, Fair versus Unfair Adjudication, and Social Cohesion versus Conflict. Themes are discussed in relation to the satisfaction (or frustration) of players’ basic psychological needs. This study found that the Dungeon Master, and to a lesser degree, other players, can satisfy all three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) by creating an autonomy-supportive environment in their D&D games. These findings have important implications for training, game design, and implementation of D&D in both casual and therapeutic settings.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Patrick J. McLaren, Ben Deery, Lindsay G. Oades
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