Female Youth Participation in Outdoor Adventure Activities and Resilience: A Retrospective Qualitative Study

REBECCA PEARSON, JOANNE INMAN

Research output: Contribution to journalConference proceeding article (ISSN)peer-review

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Abstract

Outdoor Adventure Activities (OAA) show promise in their ability to positively impact resilience in youth. However, research into the impacts of these experiences on women is lacking. This paper presents the findings of a study which aimed to gain insight into how OAA participation during youth might impact women’s resilience. Ten women, who had engaged in OAA during youth, took part in focus groups, and completed a creative task expressing their participation experiences. Thematic analysis identified four main themes: ‘I Can!’, The Impact of Others, Managing Stress and Risk, and Freedom. These participants perceived OAA during youth to have influenced their resilience. The impacts were mainly, although not exclusively, positive. The themes are explored and discussed within the context of existing research, illustrated by the artwork of the participants. The paper presents considerations for the design and facilitation of OAA with female youth to maximise benefits on resilience.
Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Journal of Adventure Therapy
Volume4
Early online date9 Dec 2023
Publication statusPublished - 9 Dec 2023

Keywords

  • Resilience
  • Female Youth
  • Outdoor Adventure Activities

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