Short-term benefits of outdoor adventure residential programs are well-documented. The maintenance of such benefits over time is not as well understood. This systematic review aimed to address this gap in the literature.
This review included a systematic search of empirical studies published since 2015. The included papers reported “lasting impact” data gathered at least 12 months after youths' participation in an outdoor adventure residential program in the UK. While the primary focus was on young people under the age of 25, the majority of study participants were between the ages of 11 and 19. Four papers met the inclusion criteria. Surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions were used to collect longitudinal data (collected more than a year after the outdoor adventure experience) from program participants and other stakeholders. “Outdoor adventure residentials," as defined in this review, involve experiences that take place predominantly using the outdoor environment and include at least one overnight stay." The included studies were based on four different outdoor adventure programs. Each included the sharing of a small space and working as a team towards a common goal. Participants were often placed in challenging situations in remote areas on land or offshore.
Primary lasting impacts of the outdoor adventure experience as reported by study participants were self-confidence, independence, and communication. Other lasting impacts reported by the participants included teamwork, life skills, intra-personal skills, and taking on new opportunities and/or activities. A “steps of change” process was used to examine the causal chains and attributes influencing the outcomes. This process lead to the development of a “theory of change model” indicating that major contributors to the lasting impacts included (a) the intensity and challenge of the outdoor adventure residentials and (b) the power of groups.
The lasting impacts of outdoor adventure residentials in the UK identified through this review are consistent with international research. Additionally, the theory of change model is consistent with other literature indicating that the intensity (not the duration) of the residential (overnight or multi-day experience) and the power of groups are major contributors to positive lasting incomes.
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