This study examined whether a facilitator-led modern board games (MBGs) program was associated with improvements in university students' social skills, attitudes toward teamwork, and teamwork competence. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design compared 15 students who completed a 12-week MBG program (24 sessions) with 52 control participants. The intervention combined collaborative, cooperative, hidden-role, and murder mystery MBGs with guided facilitation and structured debriefing. Outcomes were assessed using the Cuestionario de Habilidades Sociales, Escala de Actitud hacia el Trabajo en Equipo, and Escala de Competencia Trabajo en Equipo. Linear mixed-effects models were estimated for each dimension, and repeated-measures analysis of covariance tests were conducted for total scores controlling for age and sex. Significant Time × Group interactions favored the intervention group for total scores on the Cuestionario de Habilidades Sociales, Actitud hacia el Trabajo en Equipo, and Escala de Competencia Trabajo en Equipo. These findings suggest that a structured MBG-based program may be a promising approach for promoting teamwork-related competencies in higher education.

This cross-sectional study examined sex-based differences in recreational modern board gaming in Spain and their relevance to inclusive board game–based learning. A total of 1,090 participants aged 10–86 completed an online survey; inferential analyses compared 446 men and 634 women. Women reported earlier, more family-based entry into board gaming, whereas men more often entered through friends. Men reported more frequent and longer play, greater event attendance, larger collections, greater use of specialized media and platforms, greater self-perceived confidence in game mechanics, and more solo play. After adjustment for age and education, men had higher odds of BoardGameGeek/LaBSK registration and event attendance and were more likely to be classified as Type II/Facilitators or Type III/Specialists. Although classroom behavior and learning outcomes were not assessed, the findings suggest unequal experiential starting points that educators should consider when scaffolding rules, rotating facilitation roles, and designing equitable board game-based learning environments.

Background and Objectives: Mental health recovery is conceived as a personal process going beyond symptom remission and thus involving identity reconstruction, search for meaning and active participation in everyday life. This study aimed to analyze the influence of life history, identity, competence and context on the recovery process of people with mental illness. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted and registered in the Open Science Framework. Participants were 159 individuals diagnosed with mental disorders who attended a community mental health association. Data were collected using the standardized Occupational Performance History Interview-II (OPHI-II) and analyzed through an inductive phenomenological approach with researcher triangulation. Results: Findings showed that life history is central to recovery, as it helps rebuild identity, recognize personal capacities and restore a sense of continuity. Daily occupations and social support emerged as key factors for inclusion and participation. Conclusions: Results highlight the importance of integrating biographical narratives and occupational perspective into mental health interventions through a standardized tool that surpasses traditional diagnosis-based or methodologically weak approaches. This perspective fosters practices aligned with individuals’ values, goals and contexts, promoting autonomy, empowerment, and social inclusion. These findings may inform person-centered recovery programs in community services.