I strongly believe that participating in role-playing games can have great psychological benefits for all of us, especially during this time of social isolation.
On the flip side, I also believe that in “normal” circumstances, the social interaction provided by role-playing games is a wonderful alternative to solitary screen time. In addition to the priceless reward of making new friends, we learn teamwork and empathy. We get to try on new skins and experiment with different ways to socially interact with others.
And it’s just plain fun.
Here are some links to papers/articles studying the benefits of playing D&D (and other role-playing games):