Twenty-four families participated in an intensive 8-hour adventure program that included initiative games, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting in the mountains of central Colorado. A study examined the effects of participation on parental perceptions of family problem solving, communication, cohesiveness, and general functioning. A questionnaire…

An instrument was developed to measure perceived levels of anxiety of students enrolled in a resident outdoor adventure education course, and to confirm four underlying factors that contribute to anxiety in such settings. These factors are level of control, program inadequacies, personal inadequacies, and level of comfort. A 53-item Outdoor…

A study examined the relationship between outdoor leader self-awareness and co-leaders' perceptions of leader influence. Thirty-three challenge course instructors for a major university in the Midwest operated as a peer group, working in instructor teams leading groups in an outdoor setting. Each instructor took a turn as leader of the day. All…

This proceedings presents a variety of international perspectives on the nature of adventure therapy and charts new insights into its historical, philosophical, theoretical, and practical realms. Following an editorial "Adventure and Therapy: 'Dancing in the Moonlight'" (Kaye Richards, Barbara Smith), the 21 papers are: (1)…

Survivors of sexual abuse are likely to be among the participants of many adventure and experiential programs. This paper aims to increase outdoor leaders' understanding of the possible reactions of survivors to adventure experiences and related group interactions. Long-term effects of sexual violence are pervasive and may be triggered by the…

As experiential counseling gains wider acceptance, it becomes more important to operate from a structural framework promoting effective and ethical practices. This paper outlines a four-part model of experiential counseling: theoretical foundations, experiential activity and personnel, processing and communication skills, and prerequisites for…

The enhancement of positive self-concept has been identified as a key benefit of participation in team-building programs. This paper reviews research on the impact of team-building activities that include demanding physical challenges on the self-concept of physical education students. Team Building through Physical Challenges (TBPC) is a program…

Experiential learning is a client-focused, supported approach to individual, group, or organizational development, which engages the young or adult learner, using the elements of action, reflection, and transfer. This book explores the theory and practice of experiential learning as the basis for designing and delivering effective learning…

Adventure programming is the deliberate use of adventurous experiences to create learning in individuals or groups, often with the goal of improving society or communities. Adventure programming may focus on recreation, education, individual or group development, or therapy, or on a combination of these. This second edition contains 61 chapters by…

Explored counselor ratings of 10- to 13-year-old Ss (N=132) in three therapeutic camping trips. Results indicated a significant difference between boys and girls from third-trip comparisons on unstructured dependence. Reliable counselor ratings were found, and boys were perceived by the counselors to change, while girls were not. (Author/JAC)

Outdoor education, or adventure education, is any educational experience which takes place outside the confines of a predetermined area. Critics of outdoor education point to its potential danger. Outdoor education activities demand physical, intellectual, emotional, and psychological involvement. The lessons learned are cooperation, sharing,…

Providing an overview of two North Carolina Outward Bound School (NCOBS) "High Ropes Courses," this article includes descriptions of course design, equipment, site selection, events, student preparation, instructional techniques, and emergency procedures. Journal availability: see RC 503 504. (SB)

A study examined the effects of a 5-day rock climbing intervention on perceptions of alienation and control among 17 at-risk adolescents from an alternative high school. Following the climbing program, the experimental group was less alienated and demonstrated a stronger sense of personal control than did the control group. (TD)

The communist regime in Romania destroyed civil society by breeding suspicion and distrust. Viata, an adventure education program in a depressed coal mining region, assists social redevelopment by providing youth with free, positive experiences of self-efficacy and interconnectedness within the larger web of community. (TD)

Many outdoor adventure educators are ignorant of the relevant literature and heritage. Books and tradition have become a waste of time for those who believe all learning must pay in the fast-time global mis-economy of fragments for sale. Yet many university students relish the classics and deeper knowledge, once they are given the opportunity. (TD)