Community coping skills enhanced by an adventure camp for adult chronic psychiatric patients

The effect of a two-week wilderness camp on ten skill areas related to community survival of the chronic mentally ill was assessed both by participants, who were adult chronic psychiatric patients from two Oregon state mental hospitals, and by camp and hospital staff. Compared with 30 controls, the 48 participants improved on seven of the ten areas by the end of camp and maintained their improvements in four of the seven areas for several weeks following their return to the hospital. Although discharge and recidivism rates for participants and controls did not differ at six-month follow-up, participants spent a greater proportion of time in the community than did controls. The authors discuss the specific skills improved by the program and those that contributed to duration of community survival, as well as the program's cost-effectiveness.