Means-end analysis was used to examine the linkages between elements of an Outward Bound course and the personal benefits and outcomes obtained or reinforced by course completion. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 216 persons, who completed a course at the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Respondents were aged 14-66 (83…

This paper addresses environmental impact issues associated with rock climbing and stresses the importance of reestablishing a clean climbing ethic through climber education and ethical considerations. The adventure sport of rock climbing has grown considerably over the last decade: it is estimated that there are currently over 200,000 rock…

This paper introduces the notion of a spiritual component of adventure, with reference to the potential role of adventure within the peace and reconciliation process in Northern Ireland. Influenced by tradition and culture, past constructions of adventure have often associated it with educational benefits and personal development of specific…

In the U.S. there has been an increase in the number of outdoor recreationists requiring rescue. While it might seem logical that this trend results from the increasing numbers of outdoor enthusiasts, other factors contribute. Mass media give wide exposure to outdoor activities and use outdoor recreation to market many products and services. Such…

Outdoor leaders and those involved in personal outdoor adventure pursuits must be knowledgeable in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in the backcountry. In the wilderness medicine setting, extended time periods of patient care, rugged terrain, severe environmental conditions, and limited resources create…

The experiences found in adventure programs often parallel the archetypes depicted in mythological quests. Drawing on the work of Joseph Campbell, the stages and trials of adventure participants are compared to similar rites of passage and epic adventures experienced by heroes and heroines in epic literature and mythology. The basic pattern of…

A nonprofit outdoor adventure organization and a nonprofit advocacy organization for persons with disabilities and their families collaborated to develop a comprehensive, inclusive, outdoor recreation program for families. Ten Minnesota families having one or more children with a disability participated in Project FIT (Families Integrating…

Historically, outdoor recreation/education (ORE) has been associated with environmental recreation/education, but in the past few decades has become increasingly associated with adventure education/recreation. Many outdoor programs have attempted to combine the two elements; others question the combination of the two elements in a single program.…

Experiential educators can prepare students and clients for living in the global society of the new millennium through international experiences, both short- and long-term. The elements of experiential education--risk/challenge, direct experience, processing and reflection--can be important aspects of the international experience. Historically,…

Different aspects of courage are discussed through anecdotes: from the courage required in the outdoors, which most adventure educators have experienced, to observations that courage may be required when it is not anticipated, that it may also involve restraint, that expressing one's needs requires courage, and that courage is also the ability to…

New federal and state legislation calling for environmental education creates the opportunity for outdoor educators to become an active part of the K-12 educational system. This will require that the outdoor educational community modify their professional training at the post-secondary level as well as understand the formal educational system. An…

This paper discusses subjective hazards in wilderness activities and suggests means of assessing and managing related risks. Wilderness educators conveniently group hazards into objective and subjective ones. Objective hazards such as rockfall, moving water, and weather, while not necessarily predictable, are visible and understandable. Subjective…

Outdoor-based experiential training (OBET) programs are being used increasingly by U.S. business firms, but intense controversy surrounds their use and there is little empirical evidence concerning their validity. Changes in team building (group) and individual behaviors were assessed among 43 OBET participants who were managers or professional…

This paper examines the effect of participation in an Outward Bound course on participant levels of situational fears. Patterns of situational fears were studied with regard to: (1) fears before, immediately after, and 1 year following the Outward Bound course; (2) the intensity of these fears; and (3) relationship of fears to gender, age, and…

Adventure-based programs may be designed in a way that not only provides an intervention aimed at therapy or development, but also teaches participants to become their own agents of change. McWhirter's model proposes that empowerment is broader than notions of personal autonomy and efficacy, reaching outside the individual. The model specifies…