IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v167y2024ics0190740924005978.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

‘Great times with board games’. Promoting the right to play for adolescents in residential care

Author

Listed:
  • Gallardo-Masa, Coral
  • Sitjes-Figueras, Rosa
  • Iglesias, Edgar
  • Montserrat, Carme

Abstract

Playing games is a form of expression that is both recreational and human in nature, and a much-needed tool for entertainment and learning. However, it can also be used to intentionally have an impact on behaviours. This research is part of a European project aimed at adolescents in residential care, showcasing an innovative approach to promoting the right to play through board games. The objectives focus on analysing the learning promoted by game sessions and understanding the socio-educational strategies used, the impact on social relationships, and the aspects linked to emotional management fostered by board games. Over a period of eight months, adolescents participated in weekly board game sessions in 25 children’s homes (nine in Spain, six in Poland and ten in Germany). The game facilitators were youth workers specifically trained for this purpose. Two data collection instruments were used to evaluate the sessions: a questionnaire addressed to both the adolescents (13–17 years old) (N = 112) and their youth workers, who were mainly social educators (N = 114); and weekly assessment reports by the latter. In addition, 723 play sessions were held and evaluated weekly by means of a guided report. This research analyses the qualitative data obtained from the questionnaires and weekly reports. The results provide evidence of game sessions being an excellent tool for addressing emotional, relational and learning aspects – including thinking, creativity and engagement – as well as motivation and social relations. They also highlight closeness with youth workers and time for relaxation and disconnecting from technology. Regarding emotional management, playing games promotes opportunities for quality time and space, a sense of well-being and the ability to manage quarrels and conflicts. The limitations and practical implications of the study are also discussed. Above all, this research highlights the need to introduce board games into the residential care setting due to the positive approach it brings to an environment often full of negative connotations, and also the benefits it offers for visits with biological families.

Suggested Citation

  • Gallardo-Masa, Coral & Sitjes-Figueras, Rosa & Iglesias, Edgar & Montserrat, Carme, 2024. "‘Great times with board games’. Promoting the right to play for adolescents in residential care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:167:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924005978
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.108025
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740924005978
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.108025?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Klaus Eisenack, 2013. "A Climate Change Board Game for Interdisciplinary Communication and Education," Simulation & Gaming, , vol. 44(2-3), pages 328-348, April.
    2. Llosada-Gistau, Joan & Montserrat, Carme & Casas, Ferran, 2015. "The subjective well-being of adolescents in residential care compared to that of the general population," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 150-157.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eunice Magalhães & Maria Manuela Calheiros, 2020. "Why Place Matters in Residential Care: the Mediating Role of Place Attachment in the Relation Between Adolescents’ Rights and Psychological Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(5), pages 1717-1737, October.
    2. Maria Aymerich & Ramon Cladellas & Antoni Castelló & Ferran Casas & Mònica Cunill, 2021. "The Evolution of Life Satisfaction Throughout Childhood and Adolescence: Differences in Young People’s Evaluations According to Age and Gender," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(6), pages 2347-2369, December.
    3. Eirini Leriou, 2023. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round Five," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(4), pages 1395-1451, August.
    4. Joan Llosada-Gistau & Ferran Casas & Carme Montserrat, 2017. "What Matters in for the Subjective Well-Being of Children in Care?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(3), pages 735-760, September.
    5. Orúzar, Harry & Miranda, Rafael & Oriol, Xavier & Montserrat, Carme, 2019. "Self-control and subjective-wellbeing of adolescents in residential care: The moderator role of experienced happiness and daily-life activities with caregivers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 125-131.
    6. Costa, Mónica & Tagliabue, Semira & Matos, Paula Mena & Mota, Catarina Pinheiro, 2020. "Stability and change in adolescents’ well-being: The role of relationships with caregivers in residential care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    7. Gairal-Casadó, Regina & Garcia-Yeste, Carme & Novo-Molinero, Maria Teresa & Salvadó-Belarta, Zoel, 2019. "Out of school learning scientific workshops: Stimulating institutionalized Adolescents' educational aspirations," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 116-126.
    8. Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas & Sara Malo & Ferran Viñas & Tamar Dinisman, 2017. "Changes with Age in Subjective Well-Being Through the Adolescent Years: Differences by Gender," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 63-88, February.
    9. Miguel Salazar-Muñoz & Carmen Montserrat & Jaime Alfaro & Roberto Melipillán, 2025. "Subjective Well-being of Vulnerable Children in Chile: Differences by Gender and Risk Assessment," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 18(1), pages 115-135, February.
    10. Joan Llosada-Gistau & Ferran Casas & Carme Montserrat, 2020. "Factors Influencing the Subjective Well-Being of Adolescents in out-of-Home Care. A Mixed Method Study," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(3), pages 835-863, July.
    11. Eirini Leriou & Andreas Kollias & Anna Anastasopoulou & Aristeidis Katranis, 2022. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-Being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round Three," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(4), pages 1295-1311, August.
    12. Cristina Soriano-Díaz & Juan Manuel Moreno-Manso & María Elena García-Baamonde & Mónica Guerrero-Molina & Pilar Cantillo-Cordero, 2022. "Behavioral and Emotional Difficulties and Personal Wellbeing of Adolescents in Residential Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Garcia-Molsosa, Marta & Collet-Sabé, Jordi & Martori, Joan Carles & Montserrat, Carme, 2019. "School satisfaction among youth in residential care: A multi-source analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Carla González-García & Alba Águila-Otero & Carme Montserrat & Susana Lázaro & Eduardo Martín & Jorge Fernandez del Valle & Amaia Bravo, 2022. "Subjective Well-Being of Young People in Therapeutic Residential Care from a Gender Perspective," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 249-262, February.
    15. Maria Aymerich & Ferran Casas, 2020. "A contextualized measure of Overall Life Satisfaction among adolescents: differences by gender," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(6), pages 2241-2260, December.
    16. Caiquan Bai & Yuan Gong & Chen Feng, 2019. "Social Trust, Pattern of Difference, and Subjective Well-Being," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(3), pages 21582440198, July.
    17. Zárate-Alva, Nair Elizabeth & Sala-Roca, Josefina, 2019. "Socio-emotional skills of girls and young mothers in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 50-56.
    18. Eirini Leriou & Aggeliki Kazani & Andreas Kollias & Christina Paraskevopoulou, 2021. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-Being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round One," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 1-51, February.
    19. Yi Wang & Ronnel King & Shing On Leung, 2023. "Understanding Chinese Students' Well-Being: A Machine Learning Study," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 581-616, April.
    20. Coral Gallardo-Masa & Rosa Sitjes-Figueras & Edgar Iglesias & Carme Montserrat, 2024. "How Adolescents in Residential Care Perceive their Skills and Satisfaction with Life: Do Adolescents and Youth Workers Agree?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(1), pages 261-287, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:167:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924005978. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.