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Character Quest: A Mixed-Methods Study of Role-Playing Games and Self-Regulation Skill in Kindergarten
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Abstract
Purpose – This study investigates the impact of structured role-playing game (RPG) activities on the development of self-regulation skills among kindergarten children. In particular, it examines whether participation in a purpose-designed RPG module (Character Quest) enhances young learners' attention control, emotional regulation, and behavioral inhibition.
Design/methods/approach – A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitatively, 30 kindergarteners (aged 5–6) completed the Self-Regulation Rating Scale before and after an eight-week RPG intervention. Qualitatively, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participating teachers, and classroom observations and children's play journals were analyzed. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests and effect-size calculations; qualitative data underwent thematic coding and were integrated via a triangulation matrix.
Findings – Quantitative results showed a statistically significant increase in overall self-regulation scores (pre-test M = 2.48, SD = 0.37; post-test M = 3.10, SD = 0.29; t(29) = 8.23, p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.50). Qualitative themes revealed heightened engagement, the transfer of in-game strategies to classroom tasks, and positive teacher observations of improved impulse control and peer collaboration. Integration of both data strands suggests that RPG sessions provide a motivating context for practicing self-regulatory behaviors.
Research implications/limitations – While the mixed-methods approach offers robust insights, the small sample size and single-school setting limit generalizability. Future research should explore longitudinal effects across diverse cultural contexts and incorporate control-group comparisons to isolate RPG-specific effects.
Practical implications – Educators and curriculum designers may incorporate structured RPG modules as a playful, low-cost strategy to foster self-regulation in early childhood settings. Training teachers to facilitate game-based activities and to scaffold reflection on in-game decisions can maximize skill transfer to everyday classroom behaviors.
Originality/value – This study contributes to the growing field of game-based learning by applying a mixed-methods framework to evaluate a tabletop RPG intervention for self-regulation in kindergarten. While previous research has explored digital games and general play-based approaches, this study offers integrated quantitative and qualitative evidence on how structured narrative-driven RPGs can support self-regulatory development in early childhood classrooms.
Paper type Research paper
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1. Introduction
The exploration of self-regulation in early childhood, particularly through the technique of role-playing games (RPGs), represents a promising but under-researched area within educational psychology. Self-regulation is a critical capability for navigating early educational environments where children are expected to manage their emotions, attention, and behaviors to align with learning goals and social norms(Duncan et al., 2018)(Hautakangas et al., 2022). Such skills serve as cornerstones for later academic success and contribute to overall psychological well-being(Hibana et al., 2024)(Howard et al., 2020).
Research indicates that self-regulation skills significantly influence children's educational trajectories. Studies show that effective interventions in early childhood settings can lead to improved self-regulatory abilities, which subsequently correlate with better academic performance and emotional health(Duncan et al., 2018)(Hautakangas et al., 2022)(Howard et al., 2020). Environments that promote conversational skills and emotional development can further enhance self-regulation by fostering supportive peer interactions(Arnott, 2018)(Johnstone et al., 2022). Furthermore, the Kids' Skills intervention has demonstrated promising results in Finnish early childhood education, indicating that well-designed programs can nurture self-regulation through collaborative play and structured experiences(Fukkink et al., 2024).
Despite growing recognition of self-regulation as a cornerstone of school readiness, traditional classroom approaches, such as teacher-led drills and one-off behavior charts, often fail to engage young learners or provide sustained practice opportunities(Howard et al., 2020). Indeed, a nationwide survey found that 70% of kindergarten teachers report lacking play-based tools specifically designed to foster inhibitory control and emotional management in early childhood settings(Howard et al., 2020). Moreover, extant research on role-playing games (RPGs) has predominantly examined digital platforms or complex board games tailored to older children and adolescents(Liu et al., 2025)(Vicente et al., 2024), leaving a critical gap in accessible, developmentally appropriate RPG interventions for preschoolers. Character Quest addresses these shortcomings by combining a structured narrative arc, complete with clear goals and emotion-labelling prompts, with peer-collaboration mechanics that scaffold turn-taking and perspective-taking in real time. Unlike one-size-fits-all curricula, Character Quest was designed with a modular structure that enables teachers to flexibly adjust challenge levels and integrate brief “emotion check-ins” after each scenario, targeting both cognitive and social-emotional processes. While this structure shows promise in addressing gaps in current early childhood self-regulation interventions, its broader applicability across diverse educational settings remains to be empirically validated. Nevertheless, Character Quest presents a potentially low-cost, engaging approach for early childhood educators seeking to foster self-regulation through structured, play-based experiences(Pan et al., 2022)(Ureña Ortín et al., 2024)(Veiga et al., 2023).
Incorporating game-based learning, particularly RPGs, aligns with unique developmental needs and promotes experiential learning. Early‐childhood role-playing games (RPGs) offer a uniquely fertile context for practising self-regulation, yet the developmental mechanisms involved are rarely unpacked. Drawing on Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory, sociodramatic play can be viewed as a “zone of proximal development” in which children appropriate the rules, language, and perspectives of others and gradually convert these external constraints into inner speech and voluntary control(Vygotsky, 1978). When a child assumes the role of a doctor consoling a patient, for example, they must inhibit their impulses, stay in character, and monitor partner cues, processes that mirror the core executive-function (EF) components of inhibitory control, working-memory updating, and cognitive flexibility(Zelazo et al., 2018). Contemporary EF interventions, therefore, treat structured pretend play as a live rehearsal space for top-down control, reporting measurable gains in attention-shifting and delay of gratification after as little as five weeks of guided role-play sessions(Gibbs et al., 2024)(Girbés-Peco et al., 2024). Programs successfully integrating game-based methods provide children with practical applications of self-regulatory skills, enhancing their understanding and applicability of these crucial abilities in real-world settings(Sciaraffa et al., 2018)(Vasseleu et al., 2024). Moreover, combining quantitative measures of self-regulation with qualitative insights can enrich our understanding of children's experiences and the processes through which they acquire self-regulatory strategies during gameplay(Fukkink et al., 2024)(McGowan et al., 2024). Exploring the intersection of game-based learning and self-regulation presents a promising avenue for enhancing early childhood education. Continued empirical research is necessary to substantiate the efficacy of RPGs and similar methodologies in fostering self-regulatory skills among young children, bridging the current gaps in pedagogical practice and theory.
Research questions: Quantitative: To what extent does participation in the Character Quest RPG module lead to statistically significant improvements in self-regulation as measured by a standardized rating scale? Qualitative: How do kindergarten children and their teachers describe the processes and experiences through which RPG play influences attention, emotion, and behavior management? Integrative: In what ways do qualitative themes explain or elaborate upon the quantitative outcomes observed, and what practical insights emerge for implementing RPGs in kindergarten classrooms?
This study aims to address these gaps by evaluating the efficacy of a purpose-designed, eight-week RPG module, Character Quest, in enhancing self-regulation skills among kindergarteners. By employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, this study contributes both empirical evidence and narrative understanding to the nascent field of RPG-based interventions in early childhood education. This mixed‐methods study examines whether an eight‐week, teacher‐facilitated role-playing game (Character Quest) can significantly enhance kindergarteners’ self-regulation, operationalized as gains in attention control, emotional regulation, and behavioral inhibition, and whether these gains transfer to classroom engagement and early‐learning tasks. By combining pre- and post-test SRRS-EC scores with in-game performance logs, structured observations, and post-intervention interviews, we test the hypothesis
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