John Allan, Jim McKenna, Eddy Lloyd

Exposure levels in outdoor activities (OA)

as a marker for change in low

resilience adolescents

The Road Least Travelled

AIESEP logo

Resilience

• The label given to bounce-back-ability and personal growth (bounce-beyond-ability); growth through adversity

• Links to notions of capability and competence

• Transfer of adaptations

• Strong links to OA

Societal Need for Resilience

Are we eroding Resilience?

Societal Need for Resilience

Are we eroding Resilience?

Background – Resilience and OA

• Resilience comprises ecological, cultural and psychological dimensions reflecting the capacity to develop under difficult circumstances

• Masten, 2001

• Strong resonance with notions of competence and personal growth

• Risk produces resilience (Deveson, 2003)

• OA often seen as helping personal growth, esp in ‘troubled youth’

• Hattie et al., 1997; Neil and Dias, 2001

Need for psychological resilience in HE?

Universities : Students• HE Retention and Achievement

pressures• Widening participation – non-

traditional groups• Key transition period into adulthood• Attrition rates, achievement• Long-lasting benefits?

Purpose

• To explore how differentiated exposure to a range of experiential factors was linked to follow-up resilience within intensive 5-day residential OA programmes

Field Week Residentials

5 continuous days Academic and Activity basedTailor-made InclusiveReflection Resilience

Measuring ResilienceConnor & Davidson, 2003; Depression and Anxiety, 18, 76-82)

• A newly validated scale for young people:

‘How have you felt about yourself over the PAST MONTH?’

– Provides a single score

– Measures taken immediately before and following the course

– Differences identify programme effects

I could deal with whatever came alongI could deal with whatever came alongNot at all true True nearly all

the time1 2 3 4 5

Resilience Shifts – Markers for change

I was with people of my own ageNever Once 2 - 3 times Every day Through most

days

I was with experienced camp leadersNever Once 2 - 3 times Every day Through most

days

I was motivated by the activities I choseNever Once 2 - 3 times Every day Through most

days

I was inspired by the countrysideNever Once 2 - 3 times Every day Through most

days

I was free to make my own decisionsNever Once 2 - 3 times Every day Through most

days

I was able to laugh at myselfNever Once 2 - 3 times Every day Through most

days

I was able to choose the activities I didNever Once 2 - 3 times Every day Through most

days

17 variables important in predicting growth through OA identified (expert testimonies, research, evaluations)

Examples:

Results – Demographics and Resilience Baseline and follow-up (n=285)

– 102 female, 35.8%– Mean age 18.69, s 1.31 years– 8 Sport / Leisure undergraduate Cohorts– Variety of residential locations

Return rate 85%

Data preparation = Follow-up resilience

Logistic regression to predict Resilience Group

Results – Resilience Ranges

25 53 83 84 93 94 125

Low resilience(n=106)

Moderate resilience(n=179)

High resilience(n=233)

Results : Resilience Shifts – Markers for change

Predictors B Wald Exp(B)[Odds Ratio]

95% CI

Inspired by the countryside .453 13.84 1.55 1.24 to 1.98

Every increment of exposure increases the chance of being in the moderate group by 55%

Low to moderate levels of resilience

Critical Analysis

Exposure– Influence of residential experience– Even increments?– Missing variables?

Resilience– Follow-up measure vs Calculation of change

Summary• Unique study combining important constructs

relating to resilience and differentiated exposure to outdoor activities

• Highlights the particular value of regular exposure to natural, inspirational elements of OA for securing higher resilience

• Every increase in exposure increased the likelihood of being in the moderate resilience group by 55%; open minded-ness?

• This is the first such study to estimate the importance of exposure for better personal growth for low resilience individuals

• Implications for outdoor practitioners (programme design and application)

Thank you for your attention

Contact : j.allan@leedsmet.ac.uk