The Self Through Play: A Creative Exploration Of Bicultural Identity Through A Solo-Journaling Tabletop Roleplaying Game

This thesis explores how solo-journaling tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) can support 1.5 and 2nd generation immigrant youths in Aotearoa New Zealand in navigating and expressing their bicultural identities. While existing literature highlights the psychological complexity of biculturalism such as in-betweenness, cultural frame-switching, and identity integration, few studies examine interactive narrative tools as supportive spaces for identity exploration. Addressing this gap, the research investigates the potential of solo-journaling TTRPGs as reflective, creative, and therapeutic mediums. Using a Research for Design and Research through Design methodology, the study integrates autoethnography, secondary narrative analysis, and semi-structured interviews with bicultural youths to identify core themes of cultural negotiation, intergenerational conflict, and identity formation. These insights informed the iterative design of two prototype solo-journaling TTRPGs: 'Memoria: Inside the Capsule' and 'Charmweaver'. Both games were play tested using cultural probes, post-gameplay questionnaires, and focus groups to evaluate their impact on immersion, engagement, and bicultural reflection. Findings reveal that narrative framing, metaphorical distance, and tactile mechanics such as journaling prompts and physical artifacts enhance emotional safety and encourage deeper identity reflection. Participants preferred the fantasy-based 'Charmweaver' for its balance of imaginative storytelling and personal meaning, allowing them to engage with bicultural themes without feeling overly exposed. This study contributes to a growing understanding of how interactive narrative tools can create accessible, empathetic, and culturally resonant spaces for self-exploration. By situating solo-journaling TTRPGs within the fields of creative writing, identity psychology, and game design, it highlights their potential as innovative, user-centered interventions for supporting migrant and bicultural youths in complex identity negotiations.