Table 1.

Recommended requirements/structures for proper execution of the intervention in TTRPGs.

Elements	Context	Potential Pitfalls	Strengths
Session lengths	- RPG sessions can be lengthy, lasting several hours. For our planned intervention, we recommend sessions of 2 to 3 hours each. This duration is based on the average length of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention, which typically spans 12 hours and is divided into 4 sessions.	- Some groups engage in non-stop play for 4 to 5 hours. While not a requirement, shorter sessions may lead to decreased engagement and intervention potential. - Long sessions could hinder the implementation due to participants’ potential inability to sustain engagement for such extended periods. - Long sessions might be tiring for new users. - Long sessions, particularly during extended combat sequences, may induce fatigue among certain players, particularly those experiencing issues related to inattention, hyperactivity, anxiety, or executive function deficits.	- Sessions of up to 3 hours allow all stages of the session script to be implemented satisfactorily, with time for rapport, updates, play and feedback. - This session time allows for increased player engagement and immersion in the narrative, providing ample opportunity for group discussions on decision making.
Role Performance	- In a TTRPGs, it is recommended (and encouraged) that players play their characters, with their voices, mannerisms and behaviors.	- More timid players may feel intimidated by this proposal, requiring greater flexibility and acceptance from the group, allowing them to feel free to act when, or if, they are ready.	- Role-playing enhances immersion in the game, as it allows players to connect more deeply with the narrative by embodying characters created within the proposed context. - In social skills training, role playing is essential as it enables individuals to practice and simulate behavioral rehearsals in problem situations. - Role-playing provides a valuable opportunity to rehearse thinking and acting from someone else’s perspective.
Rules and Lore	- Every game has a narrative set in a fantasy world, with problems and objectives elaborated according to the proposed “reality”. - In the project, we suggest a simplification of the elements of the game according to the group’s repertoire. It is more important for our objectives that the rules are adjusted to fit the players rather than vice versa. Additionally, we have included in the players’ planner methods for them to document their knowledge and orient themselves.	- For some players, a fantasy world with elements that are very far from our reality can cause confusion and disrupt the quality of immersion. It is important that players have enough repertoire to understand the proposed reality. - Very complex narratives, scenarios or objectives, without clear clues or references that allow players to orient themselves, can undermine player immersion and engagement.	- In a fictional world, anything is conceivable. Within this playful universe, situations and challenges can be crafted that are only feasible to experience in this manner. This offers richness to the experience, enabling the group to simulate challenges and suggest alternatives, experiencing the outcomes within the game without repercussions in the real world. - The operational rules aid in structuring the sessions so that players can engage with a well-organized world, where rights and responsibilities are equally distributed among all participants. - The Guide can reorganize the rules according to the group’s demand, allowing the expansion or restriction of behavioral alternatives, the simulation of norms and behaviors from other places (cultures) for players to train and the complexity (level of difficulty) of problem situations.
Dice and Randomness	- Dice are used to determine the success or failure of an action. In a THS, the focus is on the behavior presented and not the arbitrariness of luck. Therefore, it is recommended to adjust the challenge (minimum value to succeed in a dice roll) according to the quality of the player’s action. In situations where the player or group comes up with a very suitable solution, The Guide should consider whether or not the roll will be critical. In combat situations, the data must be kept, as it does not compromise training, adding strategy, flexibility and the need for group organization in an unpredictable context.	- Randomness Vs HS presented. Dice can antagonize the success of the player’s action.	- In combat, unpredictability drives the need for strategy. Players must pay attention to their teammates’ moves, predict and anticipate their actions, and remain flexible in response to the random results of the dice.
Dynamics of battles	- In some systems, battles are intrinsic to game mechanics. It is recommended that players have the ability to avoid them through behavioral rehearsal. They should be used as negative outcomes. However, some battles may be unavoidable, as the tactics of combat help in the organization, communication and strategy of the group.	- The battles are complex and require a lot of technical understanding of the characters’ abilities. Therefore, new players can be intimidated by this dynamic. - Some battles can last a long time, leading some players to become distracted and fatigued, causing them to lose attention and immersion in the game.	- Battles allow players to organize themselves and take turns, requiring constant communication (verbal and non-verbal) between group members. Players need to organize themselves strategically, highlighting points and compensating for each other’s weaknesses. - Battles require turn-taking, delaying rewards, observing, and paying attention to events to organize your actions. Therefore, they provide excellent training for planning, executing coordinated actions, monitoring, and group flexibility.
Private location	- TTRPGs take place in a safe, intimate, private and controlled environment.	Need for an isolated environment that provides privacy	- This safe space does not expose the group, allowing a more intimate bonding between the members and minimizing resistance/shyness in the dramatization of the characters.
Number of sessions	- TTRPGs do not have a session limit and can vary from games with just one encounter (called One Shots) or continuous tables, with longer narratives, reaching 10 or more sessions. - It is recommended that the number of sessions be defined after identifying the group’s needs. The more skills to train, the more sessions will be required. On average, one session is stipulated for each problem situation involving specific training in social skills. - We also recommend that The Guide create a One Shot to better understand the group, analyzing and identifying their in-game needs before determining the number of sessions.	- Storytelling over multiple sessions can lead to fatigue, resulting in the group becoming disoriented within the narrative and its recurring events. Therefore, it is crucial for The Guide to consistently assess the level of player engagement and interest. - At the same time, situations with few sessions can lead to a feeling of incompleteness. A journey must encompass a beginning, middle, and end, akin to a therapeutic session	- Not having a fixed number of sessions allows for greater flexibility in the intervention plan, as we acknowledge that each group possesses specific demands and needs. Just as a therapeutic plan varies according to the patient’s demands, the sessions also vary according to the training to be carried out, with real-time analysis of the group’s evolution and the goals achieved.
Platform (Online vs Face-to-face)	- TTRPGs can be played both in person and remotely. - Both modes are valid and offer unique gaming experiences, each with advantages and disadvantages. This adaptability allows training to be organized according to the demands (or possibilities) of group members.	- In the online modality, an internet connection, camera, microphone, and access to some communication tools are required. The need for these features may prevent some people from accessing training. - The face-to-face modality demands greater discipline from the group to meet at the place according to the agreed time and day. In large urban areas with restricted mobility, this can lead to delays, cancellations, and reduced engagement. Additionally, in epidemic scenarios like the current one, this mode of interaction poses health risks to participants.	- At the same time, in the online game, The Guide has more access and control over complementary media resources, such as music, ambient sounds, images, videos and much more. These features help players get visual and auditory information that can aid in their understanding and immersion world in the presented world. - At the same time, in person, players have better quality in communication and interaction. Here, not only can the quality of speech be observed, but body movements, expressions, and facial reactions in real time, which can aid in the interpretation of intentions, desires, and mental states of colleagues.
Materials	- In TTRPGs it is common to use complementary materials. We suggest: character sheet, dice (for successful or failed rolls in actions), sheets for notes (both for The Guide and for the players) and pencils/pens. In the online modality, this can be done using text files and virtual data scrolling. - Extra resources can be utilized, and we encourage their use. The Guide can incorporate music into the environment, utilize photos or images as references, create maps, and much more. These features are optional. - There are online platforms available that serve as virtual environments for playing RPGs, offering features such as character organization, scenery display, sound effects, and more. The use of these platforms is also optional.	- The amount of resources can directly impact the cost of sessions. - Excessive extra resources can distract from the main focus, diverting the group’s attention to stimuli that may be potentially irrelevant to the training.	- Although optional, the additional resources can greatly enhance the quality of immersion and motivation of the group during training. - Notes serve to help players organize their thoughts and actions. They are valuable not only as a record of events but also as a means of tracking plans, ideas, actions, consequences, potential alternatives, and goals. This aspect is crucial, as it enables players to analyze, reflect upon, and self-critique their training, a practice commonly employed in various psychological approaches.