GLS Conference

In the United States, 1 in 3 teens will experience physical, sexual, psychological or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults (Talk About It, n.d.). Yet teens often have difficulty differentiating between the characteristics of healthy romantic relationships and abusive behaviors that erode boundaries and undermine their safety and wellbeing, especially in the early stages when the signs are subtle (Olson, 2009). In response to this crisis, a team of game designers has produced a low-cost research-based 2-player cooperative tabletop game. The Big Build Up enables teens to discover the tactics often used to manipulate and control others, even when the effects of those behaviors may not be immediately obvious, and practice strategic decision-making boundary-setting skills in the safe space of gameplay.