Christine Lynn Norton

Adventure Therapy With Youth

This state of knowledge article provides an overview of Adventure Therapy (AT) as it is practiced with adolescents in North America, presenting (a) current findings in AT research with adolescents, (b) critical issues in AT, (c) the need for training and professional development in AT, and (d) professionalization in AT. Implications of current findings in AT research for practitioners, researchers, and consumers of AT services are also discussed.

Exploring the Impact of a Wilderness-Based Positive Youth Development Program for Urban Youth

Young people today face a multitude of challenges, especially when growing up in an urban environment. Risk factors such as poverty, exposure to gangs, drugs, and community and family violence threaten healthy development. The positive youth development (PYD) approach attempts to combat these personal and environmental challenges by providing youth with positive, asset-building experiences and meaningful, supportive relationships. There is a need for creative youth development programming that brings these two elements together in a structured and voluntary context, such as a wilderness-based program. This study explored the impact of a PYD program that utilizes mentor-supported wilderness expeditions to build developmental assets among a diverse sample of 159 urban youth in the United States. The Developmental Assets Profile was administered pre- and post-program, as well as 90 days post-program. Quantitative findings show that this type of programming can be an asset-building experience for youth facing multiple risk factors.

Capitalizing on Behavioral and Emotional Strengths of Alternative High School Students Through Group Counseling to Promote Mindfulness Skills

Alternative high school students are at risk of negative social, emotional, and academic outcomes. School-based group counseling is often implemented by mental health professionals to address these risk factors. This study explores benefits of school-based group counseling utilizing mindfulness meditation to help students improve functioning. Participants included 28 students (12 boys and 16 girls). In a pre-post test design, student strengths showed significant increases following the intervention, as evidenced by scores on the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale–2/Teacher Rating Scale. Findings indicate that application of mindfulness meditation in a school-based counseling group has the potential to help students enhance strengths.

Reflective Teaching in Social Work Education: Findings from a Participatory Action Research Study

This article describes a feminist-informed reflective teaching project enacted by a group of social work faculty at Texas State University–San Marcos. Utilizing Schons notion of reflection-in-action, faculty formed a participatory action research group to implement reflective techniques to further their professional development as new teachers and better prepare social work students for practice in the social work profession. This project guided the participants in establishing academic identity through the creation of a supportive academic setting and peer collegiality. The group met monthly to share reflective teaching journals (RTJs), participate in intergroup dialogue, and engage in contemplative practices, such as meditation and visualization. Methods of data collection and analysis included content analysis of the intergroup dialogue sessions. Findings from the project reinforced Kolbs experiential learning cycle, in which new insights gained from reflection were integrated back into the classroom. This article presents these important insights and suggests replication of this project to promote reflective teaching in social work education and to help prepare new social work faculty for success in academia.

New Heights: Adventure-based groupwork in social work education and practice

Training in groupwork in social work education is a critical aspect of promoting the continued use of groupwork in social work practice. Groupwork courses in social work education should integrate theory and practice; emphasize the processes that make groups effective; and train group leaders by providing experiential learning opportunities for how to lead groups. Likewise, groupwork in social work education should keep up with practice trends in the fi eld of social work. According to Tucker and Nortons (2009) research, current trends in social work practice with groups in the United States include the use of adventure-based practices with clients to effect positive change. Research also shows the increased use of adventure-based practices in the U.K. and other parts of the world. This practice trend is not new; however, Tucker and Norton found that very few social workers in the United States ever receive hands-on training in challenge and adventure activities while they are in school. The lack of experiential training in challenge and adventure activities in groupwork may lead to professional incompetence and poor programming, or the absence of challenge and adventure programming in social work practice with groups altogether. This study addressed the issue of groupwork training in social work education by providing social work students with an opportunity to participate in adventure-based groupwork. Pre- and post- survey research measured the impact of adventure-based groupwork on students self-concept and perception of competence in major life skills, group cohesion, and level of knowledge regarding application of challenge and adventure activities with social work clients. Data analysis revealed statistically signifi cant improvements in all areas.

Adventure Therapy: Nondeliberative Group Work in Action

ABSTRACT Nondeliberative group work allows group members to generate their own solutions and provides experiential opportunities to transfer learning to life outside of a therapeutic setting. Adventure therapy is explored as a tool for engaging groups in a nondeliberative manner. The theoretical underpinnings of adventure therapy are presented and contextualized within the larger framework of experiential education. Specific methods and models of adventure work are presented and considered in relationship to nondeliberative social work with groups. Two case examples are presented to illustrate the nondeliberative nature of adventure therapy.

Cultural bridging through shared adventure: cross-cultural perspectives on adventure therapy

This paper examines the importance of the therapeutic relationship and the need for cultural competence in adventure therapy. Cultural differences between therapist and client can sometimes result in possible misinterpretation and conflict, which can lead to problems in the therapeutic relationship and negatively affect treatment outcomes. This paper builds on current research in adventure education and therapy examining the therapeutic relationship, cultural competence and multicultural factors, and emphasizes the need for cultural bridging through shared adventure. A framework is presented for using shared adventure to develop the therapeutic relationship cross-culturally in adventure therapy. An example of a Taiwanese adventure therapy initiative is presented highlighting the use of shared adventure to create a cultural bridge following a natural disaster in the Szechuan province of China.

The Impact of Wilderness Therapy: Utilizing an Integrated Care Approach.

With roots in experiential education and Outward Bound, wilderness therapy (WT) is a growing field of mental health care for youth. WT uses outdoor modalities combined with therapeutic interventions to assist youth to promote clinical changes. Previous research has shown it to be effective in improving the mental health of clients; however, little research has looked at the impact of WT on physical outcomes as well. This study examined changes in the body composition and mental health outcomes of adolescents participating in one WT program. On average, youth in the sample moved to a more healthy weight and body mass index (BMI) or were able to maintain at a healthy level. Youth also experienced significant improvements in their mental health functioning. Given the adolescent obesity crisis along with adolescent female challenges with body image, these results show that WT could be a promising intervention for youth struggling with these issues.

Blazing a Trail … Together: The Need for Mentoring and Collaboration Amongst Women in Outdoor Leadership

Based on a narrative inquiry with women outdoor leaders, in this chapter, the authors discuss how women experience gender whilst becoming outdoor leaders, including gender socialization and the internal and external resources that facilitate the path to leadership. The chapter utilizes in-depth narrative inquiry to recognize barriers to participation with a goal of increasing participation through constructing effective strategies to counter those barriers, primarily through mentoring and collaboration. In the data, mentorship was identified as a key motivator for female participation. An unanticipated indication that emerged was an episodically evolved desire amongst all participants for social justice in outdoor recreation. All the women outdoor leaders developed a desire to be agents of social change in the adventure education industry and demonstrated actions towards these ends.

A Qualitative Gender Analysis of Women Field Guides’ Experiences in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare: A Feminist Social Work Perspective

Rationale: Social work has long supported activity-based group work for young people. One such approach includes outdoor behavioral healthcare (OBH), also known as wilderness therapy, which often employs nonclinical field staff to lead outdoor activities as part of the overall treatment model. Although men and women both serve as field guides, the culture of OBH has historically been male-dominated, at times obscuring the voices and perspectives of female staff in the field. For this reason, a feminist social work lens was employed in order to engage in a qualitative gender analysis of women field guides’ experiences in OBH. Methods: Focus groups were used in this study to better understand gender as experienced by individuals who identify as women working as field guides in OBH. Findings: Results indicated that women experienced gender at intrapersonal, interpersonal, and program levels in ways that contributed to both empowerment and obstacles to leadership roles and longevity in the field. Identified needs included training for all staff on gender, women in leadership roles, and all women’s spaces. Practice Considerations: Implications for social work practice are discussed, aimed at supporting women’s development and creating work environments most conducive to learning and growth for staff and clients alike.