.png "ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description"){kind=logo}
ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description
October 17–19, 2026
The Embassy Suites, Brea, California
2026 ATRA Annual Conference – Session Descriptions
October 17–19, 2026 | Brea, CA
The following is the Session Descriptions for the 2026 ATRA Annual Conference in Brea, CA. All sessions, times, and presenter information have been confirmed, though final adjustments may occur due to unforeseen circumstances onsite.
For a visual Calendar view, please visit: Schedule at a Glance
For information on our On Demand Conference offerings, please visit: ATRA SoCal On Demand
Continuing Education (CEUs):
NCTRC pre-approval is pending fr all sessions for CEUs.
Once the program is pre-approved; For questions related to specialty certification areas, please refer to the PDF version of the program for designation icons and CEU-eligible sessions.
Code of Conduct:
All attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and guests are expected to uphold the ATRA Conference Code of Conduct.
To review the Code, view it here.
Note on Non-ATRA Activities:
Please note that any events or activities not listed in the official ATRA SoCal program are independently organized and not affiliated or sponsored by ATRA. ATRA is not responsible for independently coordinated events, meetups or activities not articulated in this program. Individuals interested in non-ATRA sponsored activities should contact their respective organizations directly for details.
Autistic Adult's Experiences of Belonging in the Context of Recreational Tabletop Role-play Gaming
Session Description
The use of Tabletop role playing games as a vehicle for social support and relationship building for autistic individual has been the subject of increasing research interest in recreation therapy and adjacent fields. While the body of literature has increased in the past three years, qualitative work which focuses on autistic adults’ experiences with TTRPGs remains scarce. This session will provide an overview of the speaker’s research into autistic adult’s experiences in the TTRPG hobby community, including a review of the supporting literature, study design and methodology, and findings. Future directions and implications for the recreation therapy profession will also be discussed.
Learning Outcomes
-Identify three defining characteristics of tabletop role playing games -Describe two characteristics of supportive social environments as identified by autistic adults. -Summarize two of the themes as presented in the study’s findings.
Practice Area: Select ALL that Apply
Research
Other
Target Audience
Educators/Researchers
Primary Presenter
![[photo]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7fc5a9fbebe7ee44ec8cd8d06ef18680.png?d=https://proposalspace.com/images/no_photo.png&r=PG&s=50 "Kathryn Creveling, Old Dominion Univeristy")
Kathryn Creveling, Old Dominion Univeristy
Biographical Information
Kathryn Creveling is a PhD candidate in the department of human movement studies and special education at Old Dominion University. Her recreation therapy journey began at the University of Tennessee, where she obtained her master's degree in 2023. While there, she kindled a passion for research, with a particular interest in disabled individual's perspectives on their lived leisure experiences. Kathryn's dissertation work explores how autistic adult's experiences in the tabletop role play gaming community impact their experiences of belonging and identity. Their other research interests include leisure identity development in disabled individuals, the lived experiences of disabled individuals in their recreation, leisure, and hobby communities,and the utilization of concepts from disability studies, sociology, and other fields to advance recreation therapy practice.