ERIC-DIGESTS ERIC: Identifier: ED385425 Publications Date: 1995-08-00 Author: Berman, Dene S. - Davis-Berman, Jennifer Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools Charleston WV.
Outdoor Education and Troubled Youth. ERIC Digest.THIS DIGEST WAS CREATED BY ERIC, THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ERIC, CONTACT ACCESS ERIC 1-800-LET-ERIC
Out door educators have explored the therapeutic uses of camping, expeditions, and Challenge courses since the 1930’s. This Digest provides a brief historical synopsis of The parallel development of both out door education and outdoor therapeutic programs In working with troubled and adjudicated youth. The Digest also describes the rationale Supporting the use of outdoor approaches, the findings from a recent study of outdoor Therapeutic methods, and the finding from the few research and evaluation studies that
Some of the earliest attempts using the out-of-doors as a healing environment took place In the “tent therapy" programs at state hospitals during the early 1900’s (Davis-Berman, And Berman, 1944), for a brief period, a number of articles appeared in the psychiatric Literature reporting the therapeutic benefits of moving certain psychiatric patients out of The buildings and into tents set up on the lawns of psychiatric hospitals, although these Programs provided anecdotal evidence of benefits for the patients they were haphazard. At best, by 1920, such accounts disappeared from the literature. In the mid-1900s, more sophisticated camping programs for troubled youth began, Some that included observation, diagnosis, and psychotherapy components. The University of Michigan Fresh Air Camp employed trained counselors and staff Psychologists to treat campers selected because of their mental health problems. Similarly, the Salesmanship Club Camp (Dallas, Texas) was founded in 1946 to serve Emotionally troubled children, its founder, Campbell Loughmiller, believed therapeutic Wilderness programs should include the perception of danger and immediate natural Consequences for lack of cooperation on the part of campers, According to Loughmiller, Successfully confronting danger built self-esteem, and suffering natural consequences Taught the real need for cooperation. From the decade of the 1970s to the present day, there has been growing interest in Experiential learning and outdoors programs, The Project Adventure program, bringing Experiential methods and techniques into the public school, was founded in 1971. On An international level, the Association for Experiential Education was officially founded In 1977, as was the Wilderness Education Association (contact information for these Organizations are listed at the end of this Digest). Since the 1970s, there has been a dramatic increase in the number and types of outdoor Programs geared specifically toward troubled youth. Prior to discussing these programs We will briefly review the rationale behind the use of the out-of-doors in working with Troubled youth.WHY USE THE OUT-OF-DOORS? There are aspects of traditional program settings that inhibit the emotional growth and Education of some individuals, most change efforts involve verbal interchanges between Staff and participant, this is not an effective way of reaching many people, especially Adolescents who may be resistant to talking or who lack trust in adult authority figures. Outdoor programs offer a physically active way for staff and participants to relate to one Another, so the emphasis is not solely on talks. Outdoor programs also place troubled youth in unique settings where they are often quite Unsure of themselves, Moving out of the usual environment sometimes serves to reduce Defensiveness and change relationships with adult leaders, many programs incorporate An element of perceived risk, thereby encouraging participants to move beyond there Comfort zones and face their issues and fears. Finally, many outdoor programs use a Small group format and encourage interdependence among group members. In Expedition Programs, where participants and leaders venture out into natural settings, for extended Periods of time, the 24-hour-a-day group experience becomes very Powerful.
For purposes of this Digest, we define troubled youth as those who have mental health Problems (diagnosed by a psychiatrist and considered in need of counseling) or who are In the juvenile court system, the vast majority of programs for youths fall under These two categories MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS: Information about mental health programs was Solicited in a national survey conducted by Davis-Berman, Berman, and Capone (1994). The results included several major findings: Programs can be categorized as inpatient, outpatient, residential, or expedition types The majority of all programs are offered by private agencies Most inpatient programs are also run by private agencies·Taken together; the programs deal with a wide range of problems and issues of youth; and the most common problems and concerns include behavioral problems, School and Family problems, conduct disorders, self-esteem issues, depression, and suicidal ideation. The extent of the use of the outdoor environment varied among the mental health Programs. Some programs, most notably those based in hospitals, use the outdoors Primarily through A ropes course experience, other programs offer backpacking or canoeing programs for Youth who live in the surrounding community (they return to there Homes after trips), Still Others offer more lengthy expeditions. Participants in expedition Programs usually reside at A base camp, from which they travel. The therapeutic approaches reported by these programs are often quite vague. Those Programs that focus on substance abuse issues use a 12-step approach. Others mention “Metaphor therapy” while some relies on more traditional individual and group therapy Approaches in their outdoor settings.There are far greater numbers of mental health programs thant here are court-related programs for juveniles. However, there is a great deal of Overlap between these categories, the majority of court-related programs are residential in nature and long-term in their approach, they are often designed as an alternative to traditional incarceration, a nd usually involve expeditions led out of a more traditional Treatment center setting, some programs have juveniles living in a base camp setting year round, augmented by intensive wilderness outings run from the base camp, other court-related programs use the outdoor environment to a lesser extent, These Programs use some of the ropes course experiences or run short wilderness excursions.
DO THESE PROGRAMS WORK? The effectiveness of outdoor therapeutic programs is a critical issue, particularly when Such programs are used as alternatives to either incarceration or hospitalization for Troubled Youth. A comprehensive discussion of the research in this area is beyond the scope of this Digest, The interested reader is referred to the literature for in-depth Review and discussion Of research issues (e.g., Davis-Berman & Berman, 1994; Gass, 1993; Miles & Priest, 1990), Generally, the research on outdoor programs has been sparse and has had some Methodological difficulties. However, a number of good studies have been done, which have Provided evidence of the effectiveness of these programs: Studies of mental health programs have shown widely reported increases in self-esteem Of participants and a positive impact on self-efficacy. Evaluation studies on delinquency programs have shown similar positive gains in Self-esteem And reductions in recidivism rates compared with participants involved in traditional programs A recent meta-analysis (Cason & Gillis, 1994) of 43 research studies using experiential Education techniques with troubled youth found effect sizes in the moderate range. These studies suggest generally positive results for outdoor programs for troubled teens, But More research needs to be done. Presently most mental health programs are not evaluating there Effectiveness and those that do often have methodological problems.
Unanswered questions in this field that would benefit from more study include the following:What can adventure education contribute to therapeutic programs? For which participants are outdoor approaches most effective? To what standards should therapeutic programs be held accountable? What should be the qualifications for professional staff in this field? Yet, enough anecdotal evidence from early programs and evaluation results from recent Programs exist to warrant positive statements about the usefulness of outdoor programs In addressing the needs of this complex and challenging group of young people.
Cason, D., & Gillis, H. L. (1994). A meta-analysis of outdoor adventure programming With adolescents, Journal of Experiential Education, 17(1), 40-47 Davis-Berman, J., & Berman, D. 5 (1994) Wilderness therapy: Foundations, theory And research. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Davis-Berman, J., Berman, D., & Capone, L. (1994), Therapeutic wilderness programs: A national survey, Journal of Experiential Education, 17(2), 49-53 Dewey, J (1938), Experience and education, NY: Collier Books Gamson, Z. F. (1989). Higher education and the real world: The story of CAEL. Wolfeboro, NH: Longwood Academic Gass, M. (Ed.) (1993). Adventure therapy: Therapeutic applications of adventure Programming, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt James, T. (1993). The only mountain worth climbing: The search for roots, Unpublished Manuscript, Garrison, NY: Outward Bound Miles, J., & Priest, S. (Eds.). (1990). Adventure Education, State College, PA: Venture Publishing Miner, J., & Boldt, J. (1981), Outward Bound U.S.A.: Leaming through experience in Adventure Based, education. NY: William Morrow. (ED 215811)
The organizations mentioned in this article can be contacted at the following addresses: Association for Experiential Education 2885 Aurora Avenue, #28 Boulder, CO 80303-2252 Project Adventure, Inc P.O. Box 100 http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed385425.html 11/19/2001 Outdoors Education and Troubled Youth Hamilton, MA 01936 Wideness Education Association Department of Natural Resources, Recreation and Tourism Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523 Dene S. Berman is a practicing psychologist at Lifespan Counseling Associates and clinical Professor of professional psychology at Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio), Jennifer Davis, Berman, is a social worker, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work at the University of Dayton, and a therapist at Lifespan Counseling Associates. This publication was prepared with funding from the Office of Educational Research And improvement, U.S. Department of Education, under contract no. RR93002012. The opinions Expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies Of OERI, the Department, of AEL, or Ashley Valley Wilderness. Title: Outdoors Education and Troubled Youth. ERIC Digest. Document Type: Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (lAPs) (071); Information Analyses-- ERIC Digests. (Selected) in Full Text (073); Available From: ERIC/CRESS, P.O. Box 1348, Charleston, WV, 25325-1348 (free), Descriptors: Adventure Education, Camping, Delinquent Rehabilitation, Experiential Learning, Individual Development, Mental Health Programs, Outcomes of Treatment, Outdoor Education, Therapeutic Environment, Therapy, and Youth Programs Identifiers: ERIC Digests. http://www.ed.gov/databaseslERIC_Digests/ed385425.html 11/1912001
Wilderness Therapy Study Reveals Benefits to Adolescents WILDERNESS BENEFITS AT-RISK YOUTH-STUDY (www.obhic.com/research/) Keith Russell, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho 208-885-2269 keitlir@uidalio.edu Sue McMurray, CNR Communications) University of Idaho 208-885-6673 suem@uidalio.cdu Moscow, Idaho December 13, 2001
MOSCOW-A study of 858 adolescents participating in outdoor behavioral healthcare (OBH) treatment) often referred to as "wilderness therapy", indicates significant reductions in behavioral and emotional symptoms as a result of this type of treatment. A new 38-page report authored by Keith C. Russell, assistant professor and leader of the Outdoor Behavioral Health care Research Cooperative in the University of Idaho- Wilderness Research Center, describes results of a nationwide study of participants in OBH programs in 2000. OBH is an emerging form of mental health treatment, which helps resistant adolescents overcome behavioral and emotional problems by integrating a wilderness challenge experience with residential treatment. The study assessed at-risk adolescents, the majority of whom were males, ages 12-19, after an average of 38 days in treatment using the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ®). The Y-OQ is designed to measure treatment progress by assessing behavioral dysfunction, interpersonal distress, and social problems to reflect the adolescent's well being. The questionnaire was administered at admission and discharge from treatment to adolescent clients and their parents to gather perceptions as to the client's baseline behavior and change following the treatment program. Eighty-three percent of parents perceived their children's clinical symptoms as improved as a result of treatment, and discharge scores were on average close to scores obtained from normal populations of adolescents. Statistically significant improvement was shown in behavioral dysfunction, interpersonal relations, and critical items, such as suicidal behavior. The findings confirm the idea that OBH treatment can improve behavior; reconcile family relations and help address the more serious underlying issues in adolescent's lives that may drive problem behavior. Clients perceived their symptoms at admission as less severe than did their parents (70.67 compared to 100.19 for parents), but discharge scores were similar (client discharge scores were 47.55 and parents 48.55). Russell suggests that the differences in parent and client assessments at admission could be a result of adolescents' denial, not fully realizing or admitting the consequences of their past behaviors, but arriving at a clearer and more accurate assessment after treatment. He says that "the majority of clients entering OBH treatment do not want to be there and initially are extremely resistant to the process. They often believe there is 110 problem with their behaviors." Phase two of the study will analyze data from three-, six-, and 12-month follow-up assessments of the same clients. "Continuing the research will help determine how long, and to what degree the positive results of treatment are maintained," said Russell, "and we also will examine how OBH treatment outcomes are affected by the kind of aftercare services utilized. This outcome assessment study is part of a program of research in the OBHRC of the UI's Wilderness Research Center on the effects of wilderness therapy and outdoor treatment for at-risk adolescents. The research addresses questions of concern to parents, mental health Practitioners, social service agencies, insurance companies, managed care facilities and land managers. The research is supported in part by the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council, a group of leading programs seeking a knowledge base from which to improve treatment and industry standards. A prior study by Russell (Technical Report 26) identified 116 OBH programs currently operating, generating approximately $200 million dollars in annual revenues in this growing industry. Copies of Technical Report 27 may be ordered for $10 from the University of Idaho- Wilderness Research Center, College of Natural Resources, Moscow, ID 83844-I 144, phone: (208) 885-2267, fax: (208) 885-2268, wrc@uidaho.edu Woodbury Reports: December 2001: #88 || 208-267-5550: http://www.strugglingteens.com
Ashley Valley Wilderness 80 East, 100 South, Vernal 84078 || Direct 435-781-2450 || Toll Free 1-866-781-2450 || Fax 435-781-2442 Email: admissions@ashleyvalleywilderness.net || Web Page: http//:www.ashleyvalleywilderness.net Troubled Teens, Family Therapy, at risk students, and early intervention
