Beyond cognitive stimulation: other uses of modern board games in children and adolescents.

Over the past few years, research on the cognitive benefits of playing modern board games has significantly increased. It seems that we are beginning to have initial consistent evidence that suggests playing these types of games helps in the development of cognitive processes in childhood and adolescence, such as executive functions. Based on these and other findings, new lines of research are being opened. For example, it is still unclear whether the benefits of cognitive intervention through board games are due to repeated cognitive task performance or to the socialization it entails. One of the studies to be presented in this symposium will examine the relationships between the type of errors and successes while playing and different cognitive processes. Furthermore, through correlational methodology, the first evidence on modern board games and intelligence will also be shown. This set of research points towards the idea of whether board games could be used as assessment tools. Additionally, we continue to obtain results on the use of board games to improve emotional and social skills. 

Finally, this symposium will present a board game, NIM, designed for the affective-sexual education of children with intellectual disabilities. Thus, the future of modern board games includes psychological assessment, intervention in emotional and social competencies, and the design of serious games for psychoeducation.