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Copyright of Psychologie Pro Praxi is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: This pilot study developed an adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention (aCBI) program and tests its effectiveness in improving the mental health of Chinese university students in Hong Kong. Method: A total of 217 undergraduate students participated in an aCBI program in the form of an interdisciplinary general education course in a university in Hong Kong. A battery of standardized online questionnaires was administered to the students before joining and upon completion of the course, and at a 3-month follow-up test. Results: The participants showed a significant reduction of psychological distress, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and negative thoughts and emotions and a significant increase of positive thoughts upon immediate completion of the program. The positive effects maintained at the 3-month follow-up test. Conclusion: The integration of cognitive behavioral intervention and adventure training in a class setting might be an effective and feasible approach for the mental health counseling of university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lifestyle is a central concept in Adlerian theory necessary for understanding a client and the purpose of behavior. Although there are a variety of methods counselors can employ to explore the lifestyle, to date, no literature addressing the use of Adventure Therapy (AT) exists. Adventure Therapy is a creative and interactive mode of counseling consistent with Adlerian theory that uses creativity and experiential activities to foster insight, awareness, and growth in clients. This article introduces a creative way to explore the client's lifestyle using an AT activity called Ubuntu Cards©. The authors provide an overview of Adlerian theory, define Adlerian lifestyle, and explore traditional methods of assessing the lifestyle. The article also includes a detailed outline for using Ubuntu Cards© to assess a client's lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of empirical research suggests that brief contact with natural environments improves emotional well-being. The current study synthesizes this body of research using meta-analytic techniques and assesses the mean effect size of exposure to natural environments on both positive and negative affect. Thirty-two studies with a total of 2356 participants were included. Across these studies, exposure to natural environments was associated with a moderate increase in positive affect and a smaller, yet consistent, decrease in negative affect relative to comparison conditions. Significant heterogeneity was found for the effect of nature on positive affect, and type of emotion assessment, type of exposure to nature, location of study, and mean age of sample were found to moderate this effect. The implications of these findings for existing theory and research are discussed, with particular emphasis placed on potential avenues for fruitful future research examining the effects of nature on well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an ever-changing world characterized by rapidly expanding knowledge and technology, diversification should be part of every profession's quest to thrive. We can no longer operate in our closed cubicles and speak in esoteric tongues. Companies and industries, which fail to innovate and adapt, run the risk of becoming obsolete and possibly collapsing. Therapeutic recreation (TR) is at a crossroads. Leadership and other pressures within the field are moving us towards a narrow and more specialized model. A vibrant future may lay in a clinical focus, but the value and power of therapeutic recreation services may have a more extensive role to play in today's changing world. Further limiting the provision of our services is not in harmony with trends towards diversity. Creating, growing, and adapting services, whether in therapeutic recreation, community or business settings, requires the ability to lead with an "out of the box" perspective in order to flourish. Traditionally, TR serves individuals and groups with disabilities and illness, using a variety of recreational modalities to promote positive change, higher quality of life and overall well-being. TR programs often provide powerful life changing experiences (Lundberg, Taniguchi, & McCormick, 2011). Ideally, the benefit of TR services and the potential to promote quality of life should be available to all people with disabilities and illness. In the context of diversification, we might also consider the value of TR services beyond our historical client base. The efficacy of TR services should not be limited to a select few. Although the traditional view of TR's applications is focused on individuals with physical and/or psychological disabilities, these same applications potentially have a more comprehensive application. This brief addresses the possibility of such non-traditional applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity programmes have been identified as a potential strategy for improving social and emotional well-being in at-risk youth, who have a prevalence of depression and low self-esteem exceeding the general population. Methods: A systematic search of six electronic databases (EMBASE, OVID MEDLINE, PsychINFO, PubMed, Scopus and SPORTDiscus) was conducted to identify physical activity programmes designed to improve social and emotional well-being in at-risk youth. Results: The search identified 15 studies, which reported the effects of three types of physical activity programmes (i.e. outdoor adventure, sport and skill-based and physical fitness programmes) on social and emotional well-being. While many of the interventions resulted in significant positive effects, the risk of bias was high in all of the included studies. Conclusion: Due to the mixed findings and the high risk of bias, it is difficult to determine the efficacy of physical activity programmes for improving social and emotional well being in at-risk youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the importance of addressing and evaluating treatment and program fidelity is clearly emphasized in the literature on psychology, education, and health, little attention has been given to fidelity in adventure literature or research. Program fidelity refers to whether or not, and how well, a specific intervention or program was implemented as planned. This article provides a background on fidelity, including program adherence and competence, factors that affect fidelity, and ways that adventure practitioners as well as evaluators can be intentional in addressing and measuring fidelity in adventure programming and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many forms of adventure therapy, in particular wilderness therapy, rely on challenges in the outdoors to achieve objectives of client change. While nature is drawn on as a medium for therapy and healing, some adventure therapists give nature little if any mention when it comes to explaining therapeutic success. The dominant paradigm in psychology and psychotherapy provides insights as to why the contributions of nature in the curative relationship are, at times, marginalized. To more fully understand why and how adventure therapy works, the role of nature as a force in human development needs to be considered. It is proposed that ecotherapy and nature-guided therapy are viable alternative theoretical frameworks for adventure therapy. Ecotherapy and nature-guided therapy provide a critical perspective on adventure and wilderness therapy in that they recognize a social, cultural, and environmental/ecological context to human well-being and behavior. Furthermore, they explicitly acknowledge the potential healing power of natural environments and natural features. Adventure therapy and wilderness therapy may be revisioned in light of ecotherapy and nature-guided healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]