What are constructive anxiety levels in wilderness therapy? An exploratory pilot study

Area of Science:

• Environmental psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Adolescent mental health

Background:

• State anxiety in outdoor therapeutic settings requires further investigation.
• Wilderness therapy interventions offer unique environments for mental health treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore day-to-day state anxiety in adolescents undergoing a Norwegian wilderness therapy program.
• To identify factors influencing anxiety levels during outdoor interventions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for state anxiety measurement.
• Collected data from 33 adolescents across six groups, completing 251 STAI state sections.

Main Results:

• A general decrease in state anxiety was observed as the program progressed.
• Significant anxiety reduction occurred between the initial and final program days.
• Boys reported lower state anxiety than girls; substantial between-subject variability was noted.

Conclusions:

• Discusses anxiety dynamics, gender and group variations, risk perception, and autonomy in wilderness therapy.
• Highlights implications for enhancing outdoor therapy practices and interventions.