Is it really true that board games are more popular among autistic people than with neurotypicals?
Many Autistics are drawn to board games.
There’s now research from the University of Plymouth that explains why.
When I was a child I loved playing board games with a neurotypical (NT) older sister.
I also played them during the eighth grade with a few NT friends.
Board games are popular among the general population, so it’s not surprising that autistic people would also enjoy this form of activity.
But it’s fair to point out that I – a clinically diagnosed Autistic – was never hyperfixated on my favorite board games: Yahtzee, Parcheesi, Monopoly.
Though when I was in eighth grade, I created a board game that revolved around intentional weight loss; I made it very difficult to get to the end and took pleasure in watching my buddies struggle to get to the finish.
Study: Why Autistic People Are Drawn to Board Games
The pioneering study, detailed in the American Journal of Play and the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, revealed that board games offer a structured social outlet for autistic people.
This alleviates the pressures of social interaction and providing escapism.
Hmmm – there’s definitely some truth to that. It’s not that I felt awkward just simply hanging with Suzanne, Lois and Andrea.
But I felt more in control, or at ease, I guess, when we were playing Monopoly.
My sister and I were not close; we often “bickered.” But these experiences were absent when we played Yahtzee and Parcheesi.
It’s fair to point out that it seems that neurotypicals could also have these experiences with board games. But keep reading…
Board Games and Autism
The research comprised five studies, collectively demonstrating that Autistics are over-represented in the board gaming community.
Modern board games, like Dixit and Werewolf, create an environment conducive to social interaction without the uncertainties typically associated with it.
In the first study, a survey of 1,600 board gamers worldwide revealed that around 7% had been diagnosed with autism, compared to about 1% of the general population having this diagnosis.
Additionally, 30% exhibited high levels of autistic traits, as measured by the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a widely used self-assessment tool.
The second study involved in-depth interviews with 13 autistic hobbyist board gamers.
These participants shared their experiences, describing board games as both “comforting” and “stimulating.”
The games enabled them to engage with their passions and provided an alternative mode of social communication.
In the third study, 28 autistic individuals, new to the hobby, participated in group board gaming sessions.
Subsequent focus groups revealed that while board games were challenging, they fostered personal growth and offered a new avenue for forming social connections.
Studies four and five spanned two years and involved weekly board game sessions with two different groups: autistic adolescents at a special educational needs school, and autistic adults, many of whom had co-occurring intellectual disabilities.
(Side note: Autism does NOT cause intellectual disabilities, and intellectual deficits do NOT automatically come with autism. Many Autistics have high IQs.)
The results highlighted the community-building, independence and skill development facilitated by the gaming intervention.
Conclusion
I belong to an autistic group on meetup.com.
Every month there’s at least one board gaming meetup.
However, I’ve had no interest.
We should not stereotype that ALL autistic people are drawn to board games.
In my case, not only did I “outgrow” board games after eighth grade (other than Scrabble, which I played only with immediate family), but as an adult, I’d find it incredibly awkward to play any board games with anyone outside my family.
Remember, in that first study, only 7% of the gamers reported a diagnosis of ASD.
This mean that the vast majority did not have an autism diagnosis, and most also did not show autism traits via the AQ.
But mathematically speaking, these numbers definitely show that Autistics are more likely than NTs to be drawn to board games.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical and fitness topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer. In 2022 she received a diagnosis of Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder and subsequently has developed an intense interest in ASD.
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