Could Chess Be a Hidden Therapeutic Tool?

Hidden among my shelves of tools in my office is a travel chess set. I first learned of integrating chess into therapy from a play therapist who spoke of using the game in therapeutic interventions. I was intrigued. While I do not use chess as a standalone intervention, I have found the activity sometimes helpful in lifting anxiety and building therapeutic alliances alongside evidence-based practices in my work. I've noticed how some individuals seem more open to sharing as we face each other in chess, particularly neurodivergent clients.

Research on Chess in Therapy

The use of chess in therapy dates back to at least 1937 when chess was used in a case study as a therapeutic tool with an adolescent who, despite receiving high marks in school, struggled socially. The authors noted that chess served for this particular client as a means to gain rapport in therapy and work on relationship goals (Fleming and Strong, 1937). This was provided within the context of psychoanalytic therapy.

Although chess in itself has not been deemed an evidence-based treatment for any condition, chess training as an adjunctive treatment as well as the use of chess in the therapy room have been studied phenomena. Most of this research has centered on its use in ADHD.

A study of 14 youth between the ages of 11 and 13 who were diagnosed with ADHD found that after a course of chess training given twice a week, there was a significant improvement in concentration skills (ElDaou and El-Shamieh, 2015). In addition, an analysis of 12 studies on chess as a therapeutic tool for ADHD found a trend of improved ADHD symptoms among those who received varying protocols involving chess (Agarwal, 2023). Still, these studies often had small sizes.

A small study of eight participants was also conducted to evaluate the effects of chess training on working memory and attention in autistic individuals. While the findings of this study were not significant for the group as a whole, five participants did show significant improvements after chess training (Bornstein and Cunningham, 2023). More research is necessary.

Lastly, chess has been evaluated for its use in the aging population. A study of senior citizens found significant improvements in quality of life and general cognitive status after a 12-week chess training (Cibeira et al., 2021). Chess has even been suggested as a prospective preventative tool for cognitive decline in the elderly (Bart, 2023).

Chess as a Tool

Chess can also be utilized as a tool within several evidence-based practices. For example, within DBT there is a set of skills known as wise mind ACCEPTS (Linnehan, 2015). Among these is a skill of "thoughts," or the use of cognitive distraction, which could include a game like chess, to assist with handling significant emotional distress.

Chess also contains within it a treasure chest of metaphors with therapeutic value. Many therapies, including acceptance commitment therapy, utilize metaphor as a therapeutic tool. One metaphor of ACT is that of a chess board, illustrating how we have an infinite number of positive and negative thoughts to show that rather than to attempt to defeat the negative ones (a sometimes impossible task), we have a choice to take an observing, mindful stance (Stoddard and Afari, 2014).

The possibilities are endless.

In Conclusion

While there is not enough evidence to recommend chess as a treatment for mental health conditions, it can be utilized as a tool alongside evidence-based protocols to enhance rapport for some clients. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that there may be particular benefits of chess training both within and outside a therapeutic context for individuals with ADHD. Still, given the small sample sizes and a limited number of studies, more research is needed.

Until we get there, I'll continue to enjoy my games.

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