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The Exploration of Adventure Therapy THE EXPLORATION OF ADVENTURE THERAPY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF HELPING PROFESSIONALS’ PERCEPTIONS A Thesis Presented to the faculty of the Division of Social Work California State University, Sacramento Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK by Honeymae Dano Fuentes SPRING 2018 THE EXPLORATION OF ADVENTURE THERAPY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF HELPING PROFESSIONALS’ PERCEPTIONS A Thesis by Honeymae Dano Fuentes Approved by: __________________________________, Committee Chair Susanna Curry, PhD __________________________________, Second Reader Arturo Baiocchi, PhD ____________________________ Date ii Student: Honeymae Dano Fuentes I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this thesis is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the thesis. __________________________, Graduate Program Director ___________________ Serge C. Lee, PhD Date Division of Social Work iii Abstract of THE EXPLORATION OF ADVENTURE THERAPY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF HELPING PROFESSIONALS’ PERCEPTIONS by Honeymae Dano Fuentes Through the perspective of holistic health and wellness, this study explores the perceptions of helping professionals to understand adventure therapy and the use of group-based experiential interventions that utilize activities and experiences in non- traditional therapy settings. The rise of the recreational movement influenced new, alternative approaches to therapeutic interventions that were action-oriented and based on client experiences. The researcher conducted face-to-face qualitative interviews with all of the participants in this study. Through a snowball sampling method of seven helping professionals (ages 25-57 years, median age = 29), the interviews investigated to what extent the perceived strengths and challenges were for addressing client problems using adventure therapy and associated experiential interventions. iv Final data analysis revealed four overarching themes: improved physical health and psychological wellbeing, increased social wellness and community reintegration, strengths-based rehabilitation and incremental levels of change; and challenges, limitations and requirements. Future implications could include the addition of experiential trainings to the field of Social Work to strengthen academic research and interest in experiential education in the therapeutic realm. _______________________, Committee Chair Susanna Curry, PhD _______________________ Date v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS At 300 feet before the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, there I was–breathing heavily, clinging onto the steel cables, and wondering what the view would look like from the top. That trip meant the world to me and I gained so much more than just a sense of relief and a good story to tell. I would like to thank my parents, Steve and Geraldine, my brother, Giovanni, and the rest of my family and friends that supported my aspirations, as well as my passion for the outdoors. I would also like to thank my thesis advisors, Dr. Curry and Dr. Baiocchi. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them. “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” –John Muir vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ............................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem and its Significance .................................................. 2 Scope of the Problem ............................................................................. 3 Research Questions ........................................................................................... 5 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 7 History of Non-Traditional Therapeutic Practice .............................................. 8 Adventure Therapy Definition .......................................................................... 8 Goals of Adventure Therapy ................................................................. 9 Core Components of Adventure Therapy ............................................ 11 Populations Served by Adventure Therapy ......................................... 14 The Process: Conceptual Framework of Adventure Therapy ........................ 17 Evidence: Outcomes and Measurements ......................................................... 21 Effectiveness of Adventure Therapy ................................................... 23 Challenges and New Directions ...................................................................... 24 3. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 28 Purpose/Objectives .......................................................................................... 28 Research Questions ............................................................................. 28 vii Research Study .................................................................................... 29 Sampling Strategy/Recruitment ........................................................... 29 Demographic Information ................................................................... 31 Research Design .................................................................................. 31 Data Collection Methods ................................................................................. 32 Issues of Trustworthiness .................................................................... 34 Ethical Considerations ......................................................................... 35 Confidentiality ..................................................................................... 35 Analysis Strategy ................................................................................. 36 4. RESULTS ............................................................................................................... 38 Reflections on Sample Characteristics ............................................................ 39 Analysis ........................................................................................................... 42 Improved Physical Health and Psychological Wellbeing ................... 42 Helps clients return to baseline health and wellbeing ............. 42 Teaches stress management and healthy coping skills by physical and psychological exertion ........................................ 45 Increased authenticity and casual therapeutic facilitation are positive effects of a less professional environment ........... 47 Increased Social Wellness and Community Reintegration ................. 48 Sense of normalcy influences positive adjustment to home and community .............................................................. 49 viii Participation in activities practices team building for clients .......................................................... 51 Value of positive rapport and relationship building for participants and therapist facilitators ...................................... 52 Strengths-Based Rehabilitation and Incremental Levels of Change ................................................................................. 53 Value of kinesthetic improvement and increased functional mobility .................................................................. 54 Challenges, Limitations and Requirements ......................................... 55 Importance of time management and funding for therapeutic treatment ............................................ 56 Importance of extensive screening of clients to determine if therapy is right fit for specific problems; also determine functional capability of client ......................... 58 Clinically resourceful staff requirements, increased competence, liability issues and danger of burnout .................................................................... 61 Risks of controlled therapeutic setting versus non-controlled therapeutic setting. .............................. 63 5. DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................... 66 Strengths and Limitations of this Study .......................................................... 74 Implications for Social Work Practice ............................................................ 75 ix Appendix A: Recruitment Email. ............................................................................... 77 Appendix B: Informed Consent .................................................................................. 79 Appendix C: Interview Questions .............................................................................. 82 References .................................................................................................................. 83 x LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1. Summary of Sample Demographics ............................................................... 40 2. Summary of Results ........................................................................................ 41 xi 1 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION In the nature of health care and human service systems, there was a conceptual shift that progressed
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