New research from University of Calgary shows social and rehabilitative benefits
New research and programs highlight the value of board games, both inside and outside of prisons, to promote sociability and brain development.
An article in Inspirationfeed Magazine cited studies that reveal the positive impacts of playing games such as Scrabble.
Scrabble helps build vocabulary and maintain the brain’s plasticity, as well as facilitating the development of relationships and helping people learn English more quickly, the studies found. Other developmental benefits include an enhanced sense of self-worth and recovery of memory, said the article.
Peter Sargious, a physician at University of Calgary, wanted to know if playing Scrabble had measurable effects on the brain. He conducted an experiment with 24 participants, half of whom were expert at Scrabble and half of whom had never played the game.
The study tested participants’ ability to rearrange jumbled letters on a computer screen in order to form proper English words. Sargious’ team concluded that the twelve Scrabble experts used a different part of the brain to work the task than their counterparts.
Health benefits of
board games
• Improves memory
formation and cognitive
skills
• Reduces risks for mental
diseases
• Lowers blood pressure
• Speeds up reflexes and
responses
• Reduces stress
• Bolsters immune system
• Can be an effective
therapeutic treatment
Source: Health Fitness Revolution
“Many people think of the human brain in terms of ‘use it or lose it’…. To develop proper cerebral connections, you have to constantly challenge your brain,” said Sophia Van Hees, one of the study’s co-authors.
The brain is flexible in the sense that we can train different areas to complete similar tasks, said Van Hees.
Many programs for incarcerated individuals aimed at pro-social, therapeutic environments and behaviors are available in San Quentin.
Kevin Carreon, a recreational therapist with the Enhanced Outpatient Program at San Quentin, discussed the benefits of game playing. He noted that the activity could be a means to practice control of egos because in each game someone must win and someone must lose. Additionally, game playing requires the parties to engage in a relationship with mutually respected boundaries.
Carreon’s approach relies on leisure and recreation in the form of gaming as a therapeutic model to open people up socially, an outcome beneficial to both prison administrators and the incarcerated population.
“Socialization is huge for people who may be anti-social or have social issues. These common interests pull people in. All the social barriers break down with game play,” said Carreon.
