Abstract
Adventure therapy, an experiential intervention that combines outdoor, adventure based activities and group process, is used
in direct practice by clinical social workers; however, it is unclear to what extent clinical social workers are actually
utilizing these techniques. This research project surveyed a random sample of clinical social workers and examined in greater
depth how they are utilizing adventure therapy programming with different clients in various treatment settings, as well as
what type of education and training they received for engaging in these practices. A random sample of 646 clinical social
workers in NASW responded to the survey, and more than 1/3 of this sample (35.1 %) reported the use of adventure based activities
for therapeutic purposes in their social work practice. However, few of the social workers reported formal education or training
in the use of adventure therapy, highlighting the need for more attention in both educational and clinical settings to proper
instruction around this growing intervention.
in direct practice by clinical social workers; however, it is unclear to what extent clinical social workers are actually
utilizing these techniques. This research project surveyed a random sample of clinical social workers and examined in greater
depth how they are utilizing adventure therapy programming with different clients in various treatment settings, as well as
what type of education and training they received for engaging in these practices. A random sample of 646 clinical social
workers in NASW responded to the survey, and more than 1/3 of this sample (35.1 %) reported the use of adventure based activities
for therapeutic purposes in their social work practice. However, few of the social workers reported formal education or training
in the use of adventure therapy, highlighting the need for more attention in both educational and clinical settings to proper
instruction around this growing intervention.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10615-012-0411-4
- Authors
- Anita R. Tucker, Department of Social Work, The University of New Hampshire, Pettee Hall, Room 119C, 55 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
- Christine Lynn Norton, School of Social Work, Texas State University, San Marcos, San Marcos, TX, USA
- Journal Clinical Social Work Journal
- Online ISSN 1573-3343
- Print ISSN 0091-1674