0000000000497743
AUTHOR
Leiv Einar Gabrielsen
Therapy the Natural Way: A Realist Exploration of the Wilderness Therapy Treatment Process in Adolescent Mental Health Care in Norway
Wilderness therapy has the potential to meet the specific needs of the current adolescent population by providing a rather unique outdoor group treatment. Wilderness therapy is not a new approach to mental health treatment, but its theoretical basis is not yet clearly delineated, in part because of the diversity found across programs and contexts. This article presents a critical realist exploration of a wilderness therapy program that was recently implemented as part of adolescent mental health services in Southern Norway. In this study, we combine fieldwork and interviews for an in-depth investigation of the treatment process, where the objective was to acquire a deeper understanding of t…
Unpacking the Black Box of Wilderness Therapy
Despite considerable progress within wilderness and adventure therapy research over the last decade, researchers are still unable to precisely answer why, how, and for whom this treatment modality works. There is also a need for more knowledge regarding the circumstances under which the treatment does not appear to be effective. In this realist synthesis, we attempt to unpack this “black box” of wilderness therapy more specifically, defined as a specialized approach to mental health treatment for adolescents. Through a focused review of the primary qualitative wilderness therapy studies, empirical findings are used to test and refine a key program theory. The synthesis results in a propose…
Therapy in the open air: Introducing wilderness therapy to adolescent mental health services in Scandinavia
Despite the rich traditions of outdoor life in the Scandinavian countries, structured nature-based therapeutic interventions remain underexplored in adolescent mental health services. We suggest that wilderness therapy is an age-appropriate and effective group treatment that may hold particular appeal for at-risk youth who are less responsive to conventional forms of treatment. Although more widespread in other parts of the world, wilderness therapy may also be a viable treatment modality for the Scandinavian region. Our overall aim of this state-of-knowledge article is to provide an overview of wilderness therapy with regard to conceptualization, practice and research, and to discuss curre…
Exploring the relationship between physical activity, life goals and health-related quality of life among high school students: a cross-sectional study
Background: Two models were developed to increase high school students’ participation in physical education (PE): “motion enjoyment” and “sport enjoyment”. The first model focuses on increasing knowledge about the health benefits of a physically active lifestyle and thereby promoting a positive attitude towards physical activity, whereas the second model focuses on techniques and practices for enhancing athletic performance. The aims of the present study are to investigate and understand the similarities and differences between students selecting “motion enjoyment” vs. “sport enjoyment” and to examine the extent to which life goals and reported physical activity are associated with health-r…
Emerging stories of self: long-term outcomes of wilderness therapy in Norway
This paper is a twelve-month follow-up study that explores perceived outcomes from participation in a Norwegian wilderness therapy program. Through a critical realist approach, the authors performe...