The impact of participation in an inclusive adventure education trip on group dynamics.

Adventure education (AE) programs use the natural environment to create new experiences that provide emotional, physical, and social challenge to the participants (Ewert, 1989). The premise of participation in AE programs is that an increased level of self-awareness is brought about by the positive change experienced through participation. According to Priest and Gass (1997), AE can impact the affective domain of participants through intrapersonal relationships (how the individual functions within him or herself - emotional development) and interpersonal relationships (how an individual functions within a group - social development).The main goals of AE programs are to foster both emotional and social development through increases in self-esteem, self awareness, self confidence, trust, communication skills, cooperation with others, and problem solving skills (Bisson, 1998; Prouty, 1999).Much of the research on the outcomes of AE programs has focused on the affective domain. Indeed, research has shown that participation in adventure activities has produced positive effects in terms of: increased self-efficacy (Sibthorp, 2003), the development of group cohesiveness in adolescent participants (Glass & Benshoff, 2002), improved social and behavioral development of adolescents (Garst, Scheider, & Baker, 2001), and improved self-confidence and self-concept (Davidson, 2001; McDonald & Howe, 1989). The research base for programs with participants who have disabilities is more limited in scope and the most researched variable is the change in attitude toward an individual with a disability as a result of participation in inclusive AE programs. While attitudinal change is an important outcome from participation in inclusive adventure education programs, there are other outcomes that AE is purported to achieve, such as emotional and social development and group cohesion or dynamics, which have not been studied within an inclusive group setting. Inclusion is a term that is somewhat ambiguous in nature and often not clearly defined within the literature. Within this study, inclusion is referred to as a philosophy that has the purpose of providing opportunities for all individuals to develop the skills and attitudes required to live, learn, and work together in society (Stainback & Stainback, 1990). Therefore, our view of inclusive AE programs is that they provide opportunities for individuals with and without disabilities to experience and benefit from participation in activities that impact their cognitive, physical, and emotional and social development.Despite the increase in inclusion within all aspects of society, there is limited research addressing the social and emotional development of participants in inclusive AE programs. As more individuals with disabilities participate in AE programs there is a need to understand the experience of participating in an inclusive AE program for all participants. The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to understand the nature of participation in an inclusive 3-day rock climbing trip on the group dynamics of seven participants ages 10-14 years, including a 13 year old male diagnosed with High Functioning Autism. The five stage model of group development (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977) was used as the lens to guide the design and data analysis of the study. This model has been proposed as explaining group dynamics within AE programs (Bisson, 1998; Priest & Gass, 1997). However, no research was found related to the use of this model to understand the nature of participation in an inclusive AE experience on group dynamics.Literature ReviewThe power of the natural environment can have positive effects on both individuals and groups within wilderness or wilderness-like settings (Ewert & McAvoy, 2000) and these positive effects are often stated as an outcome of AE programs. The empirical evidence to support this outcome is limited but does indicate that being in the natural environment impacts the participants in AE programs. …