Work

‘I climbed a mountain! I can do it!’ Outdoor adventure for female youth resilience

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Research suggests that female youth could benefit from outdoor adventure activity (OAA) interventions designed to support their resilience. This paper explores the perceptions of eight youth (between 18 and 20-years-old) who identified as female and participated in a co-designed OAA intervention to promote resilience. The intervention consisted of five weekly sessions in an all-female group. The session activities, selected by the participants, included macro photography, shelter building, map reading, and a fell walking challenge. Participant interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, and five themes were constructed: 1) A Safe and Welcoming Community, 2) Restoration and Regulation, 3) Opening Eyes and Minds, 4) Planting Seeds and Lighting Fires, and 5) Ready to be Resilient. The findings emphasized the significance of relationships, nearby nature, and changing perceptions. It is suggested that practitioners should consider using OAA to promote female youth resilience through encouraging growth-fostering relationships, boosting self-belief, and enabling participants to experience themselves as resilient.

Source: International Journal of Adolescence and Youth

DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2025.2606688

Authors: Rebecca Pearson, Michael Owen, Joanne Inman, Nicola Relph

Institutions: Edge Hill University, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Language: English

Topic: Outdoor and Experiential Education

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Gender equality

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,226