Researching ethically is an institutional requirement and cornerstone of good everyday practice in conducting research, adopting a mindful consideration for participants and resisting the temptation to use methodological approaches which may exploit participants or their trust in the research process or researcher. In the context of outdoor…

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether girls' levels of resilience increased after participation in a variety of programs. In this study, 711 girls participated in one of four program types: adventure education (n = 71), experiential education (n = 164), traditional camp setting (n = 228), and mixed camp setting (n = 248). The study…

This study examined whether participation in an adventure program increased the resiliency of adolescent girls. Eighty-seven girls who participated in Dirt Divas, a non-profit, adventure program, completed the Resiliency Scale for Children and Adolescents® before and after their experience. Means-comparison tests for within-subjects designs were…

Outdoor adventure may improve body image. However, minimal research exists on the effect outdoor adventure has on body image in adolescent girls, a demographic continually plagued by negative body image. In response, this exploratory study considered the influence of one outdoor adventure program in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through…

Recent research underscores the importance of the skills, beliefs and behaviors that support student achievement in the classroom and beyond. This set of intrapersonal and interpersonal assets (e.g. perseverance, grit, social skills, efficacy beliefs and mind-sets) are often referred to as noncognitive factors, as they are not measured directly by…

This study examined the benefits of all-girls adventure programmes from the perspective of adolescent girls. Participants included 361 girls aged 10-17 years from diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds who completed a variety of adventure programmes. Adventure activities included rock climbing, sea kayaking, mountaineering, backpacking,…

Adventure-based programs focusing on adolescent girls' development often claim that they cultivate courage in girls; however, very little research has examined whether they accomplish this goal or how they accomplish this goal. An evaluation was conducted on one such program, Passages Northwest, to examine the efficacy of adventure-based…

Explored the feelings, attitudes, and perceptions of at- risk adolescent girls from a psychiatric rehabilitation facility following their participation in adventure therapy that involved outdoor experiential activities. Interview data indicated that participants found positive meaning within various activities. The resulting themes were…

Provides a comparative analysis of the implications for girls in outdoor and adventure education in New Zealand and England. Observed and interviewed girls aged 13-15 in residential outdoor education programs. Girls in both settings stated that their self-confidence had increased as a result of the outdoor and adventure activities. (KS)

Describes the work of Help for Abused Women and Children (HAWC) in Massachusetts. Programs and activities for abused adults and teens include a crisis hotline, shelter, advocacy, support groups, legal advocacy, community trainings, workshops, counseling, and a prevention curriculum. An adventure workshop is used to address self-esteem, trust, risk…

Single-sex adventure education programs for adolescent women give them space to challenge traditional feminine roles, relate to other women without the pressures of mixed-sex groups, and examine issues such as personal relationships and health within a safe environment. If there are insufficient women facilitators, male staff should have awareness…

It is commonly claimed that outdoor adventure programmes produce positive changes in participants by exposing them to adventure activities designed to encourage self-discovery and character building. Previous studies have focused on the impact of rehabilitative adventure therapy programmes and adventure education programmes for male dominated or…

Adventure-based therapy has grown in both scope and popularity. These groups are frequently utilized in the treatment of adolescents with behavioral or substance abuse issues. Less evident is the use of this modality with other populations. Described here is a personal account of the author's participation in a wilderness-based group for women.…

The articles in this collection address various definitions, viewpoints, and treatments for youth at risk and youth offenders. Articles not only examine alternatives to incarceration, but also provide examples of value-forming experiences beneficial to all young people. The articles and authors are: (1) "Introduction" (Anthony Richards); (2) "The…

Twenty abstracts represent papers on: an agenda for camping research, use of alternative learning environments in an outdoor setting for emotionally disturbed children and youth, effects of specialized camping program on coronary heart disease risk factors in children, efficacy of physical activity programs for overweight pre-adults at specialized…