The results from this study suggest that participants of wilderness adventure education programs offered by Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School felt challenged by many of the experiences from their programs. Interactions with their group helped in dealing with the challenges presented by the experience. The development of hard skills gave participants a confidence in their abilities to survive and feel safe in these wilderness environments, which allowed them to relax and enjoy the experience, develop new perspectives, become motivated and inspired, and develop a sense of independence. Participants developed a sense of growth and maturity from their experiences, which upon reflection led to a sense of accomplishment. This sense of accomplishment led to transference of program benefits and values into participants’ lives, particularly in greater self-respect/esteem/confidence. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the outcomes that individuals experienced from wilderness adventure programs and the effects they had on participants’ lives. Means-end theory was used to understand the outcomes, more specifically attributes, consequences, and values, and their connections to each other. This study was longitudinal in nature and a comparison between the original data collection and follow-up interviews was done to investigate reported change in values over time. The results from this study show that the outcomes from participation in the Outward Bound and NOLS programs were transferring into participant’s lives and leaving a lasting impression.

This study focus on the developing of an adventure-based experiential learning program (AEP) to address the personal functioning (positive functioning, self perception, trauma dynamics, relationships and decision making) of youths in the society. The methodology based on experiential learning, wilderness and adventure programming were investigated to research the impact of the AEP on the youths. This information was used to develop an AEP to implement, as an intervention, to enhance the personal functioning of the youths. For the purpose of this study, twenty-eight students between the ages of 17 -19 years from different culture groups in South Africa participated. The youths were enrolled in an adventure program at Beyond Adventure School, which is situated near Alexandria in the Eastern Cape Province. To compile a profile that can be used to develop an AEP, the assessment of the youths were done with the use of two questionnaires: The Comprehensive Functioning Inventory: Post - Matric (CFI - Post) and a general-reasons questionnaire, which gathered information about the reasons why the youths went to Beyond Adventure School. The CFI-Post measures the following components related to the functioning of the youth: positive functioning, self-perception, trauma dynamics, relationships and decision making. The results of the first test showed a negative profile of the youths personal functioning with the following problem areas: positive functioning, self-perception, trauma dynamics and decision making. This results showed a need to implement an AEP as intervention. The second test results after the AEP was implemented concluded that the AEP had a positive impact (with a effect size of p>0,5) on the personal functioning (the positive functioning, self-perception, trauma dynamics and decision making) of the youths. The conclusion this study has is that scientifically developed and implemented AEP has a direct impact on the personal functioning of youths and thus can be used as an intervention. / Thesis (M.A. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This study focus on the developing of an adventure-based experiential learning program (AEP) to address the personal functioning (positive functioning, self perception, trauma dynamics, relationships and decision making) of youths in the society. The methodology based on experiential learning, wilderness and adventure programming were investigated to research the impact of the AEP on the youths. This information was used to develop an AEP to implement, as an intervention, to enhance the personal functioning of the youths. For the purpose of this study, twenty-eight students between the ages of 17 -19 years from different culture groups in South Africa participated. The youths were enrolled in an adventure program at Beyond Adventure School, which is situated near Alexandria in the Eastern Cape Province. To compile a profile that can be used to develop an AEP, the assessment of the youths were done with the use of two questionnaires: The Comprehensive Functioning Inventory: Post - Matric (CFI - Post) and a general-reasons questionnaire, which gathered information about the reasons why the youths went to Beyond Adventure School. The CFI-Post measures the following components related to the functioning of the youth: positive functioning, self-perception, trauma dynamics, relationships and decision making. The results of the first test showed a negative profile of the youths personal functioning with the following problem areas: positive functioning, self-perception, trauma dynamics and decision making. This results showed a need to implement an AEP as intervention. The second test results after the AEP was implemented concluded that the AEP had a positive impact (with a effect size of p>0,5) on the personal functioning (the positive functioning, self-perception, trauma dynamics and decision making) of the youths. The conclusion this study has is that scientifically developed and implemented AEP has a direct impact on the personal functioning of youths and thus can be used as an intervention. / Thesis (M.A. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This research investigates the benefits of adventure-based activities used as a learning experience at school level. In order to scientifically investigate these benefits the study is located at a school where an adventure-based programme is being developed as part of the school's curriculum. This programme consists of a range of adventure type experiences including, rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, mountain biking, group dynamic activities, survival camps, ropes courses and adventure racing. At Lilyfontein School these activities form part of the Life Orientation and life Skill programmes from grade 1 to grade 11. Specialized and qualified staff are used to conduct some of these programmes. Adventure-based activities are rigorous and contain elements of risk which require problem solving, good decision making and sound emotional management. These aspects present both physical and mental challenges to any participant. This study postulates that learners engaged in these adventure type activities are faced with using meta-cognitive strategies to help them through these mental and physical challenges. In doing these activities regularly learners will develop meta-cognitive strategies that will enable them to become better self-regulated learners. A self-regulated learner is able to use meta-cognitive strategies like problem solving, decision making, selfevaluation, self-monitoring, self-reflective thinking or emotional control in life generally. The aim of this research is to conduct an on-going action research study of the adventure-based programmes to determine their worth for the learners at Lilyfontein School and consequently the future of such experiences in a school's curriculum. This forms the primary goal of this research. The secondary goal is to gather valid and reliable evidence required to make an argument for the School's Governing Body (SGB) and Curriculum Development Committee (CDC) to be able to substantiate decisions relating to any such future programmes. This research regards the school context as the activity system which forms a primary case study. In order to extract maximum information from this educational system, embedded case studies will be conducted and monitored. These embedded case studies will be made up of the following groups of people: firstly the learners engaged in a variety of adventure-based experiences, secondly the educators as they observe and perceive the consequences of these experiences, and thirdly the parents as they identifY possible influences of adventure-based experiences on the behaviours, beliefs or habits of their children. In this research study data collecting techniques are used to extract infonnation from the embedded cases. Infonnation is elicited from parents and educators through the use of questionnaires and interviews. For learners, narratives and interviews are used to get a more qualitative sense of their beliefs and feelings on adventure-based experiences. However, in order to capture and document the learners' use of metacognitive strategies as they engage in the rigours of an adventure-based activity a more empirical approach is used. This approach uses in-depth observation, recording and measuring of the learners in action. Video footage is used to record the learners' reactions as they battle with fear, mental-strength, fatigue and decision making to accomplish their goal during an adventure activity. This study claims that an adventure-based experience helps to mediate the learning that will develop selfregulatory strategies in a learner. The limited research in the adventure-based learning field and more significantly the lack of empirical evidence of how meta-cognitive strategies fonn a crucial component of adventure-based activities has meant that the researcher has developed his own recording, measuring and analytical tools to serve this end. He has chosen to use Engestrom's third generation Activity Theory model which provides a useful underlying theory as well as an analytical and interpretive framework for this study. The research was conducted over a period of three years. Findings are considered in relation to the National Curriculum Statement for the GET and FET bands to ensure its relevance in the school context to the National Department of Education's expectations for the Life Orientation curriculum. The empirical findings of this study at Lilyfontein School and their relevance to the curriculum content of the National Curriculum Statement ought to provide convincing data for very important curriculum policy decisions at Lilyfontein School and in the broader educational context.

Validation of an adventure programme with cooperative elements in school P.E. lessons Summary of the thesis The thesis deals with validating an innovative motor program with adventure and cooperative elements at a Czech elementary school. The aims of the thesis was to observe possible changes under the influence of the programme in social acceptance of children in class, in their self-concept and the amount of physical activities in their leisure time. The study was a quasi-experiment, concretely a cross classification with repeated testing. It was realized in classes of 6th , 7th and 8th grade (12-14 year old boys) (N=154) in physical education lessons. The research was realized during 6 month, intervention time was 3 months and data were gained in three time intervals. We have used the Social acceptance questionnaire and Self-concept and quality of life questionnaire as main research methods. Results brought two statistically significant values, however, in practical significance they explain a small number of results. Values in the sub-scale Pupil-classmates relationship were statistically significant (p=0,031), which explained 3% of results, and values in the item Evaluation of satisfaction with factors effecting self-concept had the statistical significance p=0,002 explaining 6,5% of results. In the...

Given today’s social milieu, there is no denying that the nature of the life experiences youth are facing has drastically changed in recent decades. In this study, outdoor adventure education (OAE) was explored as a possible intervention strategy for the development of emotional intelligence during adolescence. This research project consisted of a case study of an event, namely “The Journey”, which is a 23-day outdoor adventure education programme for Grade 10 learners at a private high school for boys in a major South African city. Through this research, which involved collecting, analysing and interpreting data on the topic, an endeavour was made to explore the possible impact of OAE on the development of emotional intelligence, as well as the sustainability of skills acquired, and also on possible design elements that may impact on the facilitation of the development of emotional intelligence. This study was based on a socio-constructivist paradigm, which had developed from an interpretivist world view. This research project represents a multi-method mode of inquiry: both quantitative and qualitative data-gathering techniques were implemented as a process of triangulation to provide a comprehensive analysis of the research problem. The research proper (76 participants) was preceded by a pilot study (28 participants). For the research proper, participants completed the Bar-On EQ-i: YV (Bar-On, 2007) questionnaire before embarking on “The Journey” (pre) and again at its completion (post1). This was followed by another post-test three months later (post2). Furthermore, 10 participants had also been randomly selected to form part of a pre- and post- “Journey” focus-group interview and to provide reflective essays post- “Journey”. Another focus-group interview with selected staff members was conducted post-“Journey”. The identified themes generated from the quantitative and qualitative data collected were as follows: emotional intelligence; outdoor adventure education; rites of passage; “Journey” design elements; boarding; the emotional climate of the school; division based on stereotypes; and sustainability of skills acquired. In terms of emotional intelligence as a theme, the results indicated that participation in “The Journey” not only results in an increase in the overall EQ skills of participants, but that the impact also appears to be sustainable.1 As far as the impact of “The Journey” on the various subskills of emotional intelligence is concerned, the findings revealed that there was an increase in all EQ subskills directly after participation (quantitative and qualitative data). However, the results of the research proper, where pre- and post2-“Journey” scores were compared (quantitative data), suggest that increases were maintained in only three of the five subskills mentioned, namely intrapersonal skills, adaptability and general mood. Thus it appears that the initial increase in interpersonal and stress management skills did not have a sustainable effect. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Syftet med denna studie är att synliggöra hur lärare i fritidshem arbetar med äventyrspedagogik. Detta har genom en kvalitativ studie med semistrukturerade intervjuer besvarat studiens frågeställningar och syfte. Sex enskilda intervjuer med lärare i fritidshem som har kunskap om äventyrspedagogik ägde rum. Äventyrspedagogik som undervisningsform skapar möjligheter för elever att lyckas med andra verktyg än de som ges genom traditionell undervisning då elever lär bättre genom att se, göra och höra. Samtidigt skapas en djupare förståelse för hur ett ömsesidigt samarbete går till samt hur elevers olika egenskaper spelar in. Sociokulturella perspektivet används som utgångspunkten för läroplanen samt agerar teoretiskt perspektiv för denna studie då lärarna ofta beskriver att grupper sätts ihop utifrån elevernas tidigare kunskap och erfarenheter. Fritidslärarna ser äventyrspedagogiken som ett viktigt komplement för elevernas sociala utveckling. Tiden ses som ett hinder för att lärarna ska kunna implementera detta fullt ut i fritidsverksamheten då de ofta behövs som resurs i skolans verksamhet. De didaktiska implikationer som denna studie kan ha lett till är ett uppmärksammande av äventyrspedagogikens fördelar för elevers utveckling.

Validation of an adventure programme with cooperative elements in school P.E. lessons Summary of the thesis The thesis deals with validating an innovative motor program with adventure and cooperative elements at a Czech elementary school. The aims of the thesis was to observe possible changes under the influence of the programme in social acceptance of children in class, in their self-concept and the amount of physical activities in their leisure time. The study was a quasi-experiment, concretely a cross classification with repeated testing. It was realized in classes of 6th , 7th and 8th grade (12-14 year old boys) (N=154) in physical education lessons. The research was realized during 6 month, intervention time was 3 months and data were gained in three time intervals. We have used the Social acceptance questionnaire and Self-concept and quality of life questionnaire as main research methods. Results brought two statistically significant values, however, in practical significance they explain a small number of results. Values in the sub-scale Pupil-classmates relationship were statistically significant (p=0,031), which explained 3% of results, and values in the item Evaluation of satisfaction with factors effecting self-concept had the statistical significance p=0,002 explaining 6,5% of results. In the...

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The tendency to use adventure-based training as an intervention medium for the improvement of the self-concept has grown rapidly over the past few years. However, research results on the effect of adventure-based training on participants' self-concepts are very contradictory. Some studies revealed significant positive improvements, while others revealed no significant differences in pre- and post-measures. The effect of adventure training on the self-concept in the military context has so far not yet been investigated in South Africa. A sound self-concept is of critical importance to young career officers, as it enables them to function with self-confidence in both their work environment and their community roles. They enter the military environment as late adolescents, which implies that the successful mastering of specific developmental tasks such as the formation of identity or self-concept, is a prerequisite for their dynamic functioning in the world of work. The aim of this study was to determine whether adventure training can indeed be utilised to enhance the self-concepts and self-efficacy of young career officers in the South African National Defence Force. A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test and post-post-test was used to determine the effect of a Ropes Course Development Programme on the self-concepts of young career officers. Subjects for the experimental group were selected from the young career officer population at the Military Academy (n=33) and subjects for the control group were selected from the young career officer population at the SA Army Gymnasium (n=32). Two measuring instruments were administered, during three time intervals, namely the Self-description Questionnaire III and the General Self-efficacy Scale. From the results it can be concluded that the control group did not change much during the eight-week-period of the study. Only three significant withingroup changes occurred, namely in the scores of the mathematical skills selfconcept sub-scale, in the scores of the total academic self-concept and the GSE scale. All three measurements showed a significant increase for the pretest to post-post-test time interval. The experimental group showed a number of changes between pre-test and post-test, as well as pre- and post-test to post-post-test time intervals. The SOOIII sub-scales with declining scores were the participants' self-concept regarding their verbal skills (post- to post-post-test) and academic ability (preand post-test to post-post-test). The total academic self-concept score was also significantly lower from post-test to post-post-test measurement. Scores that were positively affected over time were their self-concepts regarding their relations with parents (for pre-test to post-test), religion (for pre-test to posttest and maintained to post-post- test), the total non-academic self-concept (pre- to post-test) and the total general self-concept score (from pre- to posttest). The experimental group did not change with regard to their GSE scores. The most evident between-group differences were observed during the postpost- test on the verbal skills, academic ability, and total academic selfconcept scores (control group> experimental group), and relations with same sex self-concept scores (experimental group> control group). A significant relationship between the total SOOIII score and the GSE scale over the three time periods was observed. Highly significant r-values were obtained for both groups on all but one measurement. The final conclusion is that the Ropes Course Development Programme was not an effective intervention medium to enhance the self-concepts and selfefficacy of young career officers. There is still a need for scientific research to motivate adventure-based programmes as training intervention in the South African military context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die neiging om avontuurgerigte opleiding as ingreep vir die ontwikkeling van die selfkonsep te gebruik, het die afgelope paar jaar ingrypend toegeneem. Navorsingsresultate rakende die invloed van avontuurgerigte opleiding op deelnemers se selfkonsepte is egter teenstrydig. Sekere studies het beduidende positiewe verbeteringe aangedui, terwyl ander weer geen beduidende verskille in voor- en na-toetse getoon het nie. Die uitwerking van avontuuropleiding op die selfkonsep, is tot dusver nie binne militêre konteks in Suid-Afrika ondersoek nie. 'n Positiewe selfkonsep is van kritiese belang vir jong beroepsoffisiere, aangesien dit hulle bemagtig om met selfvertroue in sowel hul werksomgewing as hul gemeenskapsrolle te funksioneer. Hulle betree die militêre omgewing tydens adolessensie, wat impliseer dat die suksesvolle bemeestering van bepaalde ontwikkelingstake soos identiteitsvorming of die vorming van 'n selfkonsep 'n voorvereiste is om effektief in die werksomgewing te funksioneer. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of avontuurgerigte opleiding wel gebruik kan word om die selfkonsepte en selfdoeltreffendheid van jong beroepsoffisiere in die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag te bevorder. 'n Kwasi-eksperimentele ontwerp met 'n voortoets, na-toets en na-na-toets is gebruik om die invloed van 'n Toubaan Ontwikkelingsprogram op die selfkonsep en selfdoeltreffendheid van die jong beroepsoffisiere te bepaal. Proefpersone vir die eksperimentele groep is geselekteer vanuit die groep jong beroepsoffisiere by die Militêre Akademie (n=33) en proefpersone vir die kontrolegroep is vanuit die jong beroepsoffisierpopulasie by die SA Leërgimnasium geselekteer (n=32). Twee meetinstrumente is tydens drie geleenthede geadministreer, naamlik die "Self-description Questionnaire III" (SDQIII) en die General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE). Van die resultate kan afgelei word dat die kontrolegroep nie veel verander het tydens die agt weke periode van die studie nie. Slegs drie beduidende binne- groep veranderinge het plaasgevind, naamlik in die wiskundige vaardigheid selfkonsep subskaal, in die totale akademiese selfkonsep en die Algemene Selfdoeltreffendheidtelling. AI drie tellings dui op 'n beduidende toename vir die voor-toets tot na-na-toets tydsinterval. Die eksperimentele groep het 'n beduidende aantal veranderinge getoon tussen voor- en na-toets, sowel as voor- en na-na-toets. Die SDQIII subskale wat 'n afname in tellings getoon het, was die deelnemers se selfkonsepte aangaande hulle verbale vaardighede (na-toets tot na-na-toets) en akademiese vaardigheid (voor en na-toets tot na-na-toets). Die totale akademiese selfkonseptelling was ook beduidend laer tussen die na-toets en na-na-toets meting. Tellings wat positief oor tyd beïnvloed was, was hulle selfkonsepte ten opsigte van verhoudings met ouers (vir voor-toets tot natoets, godsdiens (vir voortoets tot na-toets en in stand gehou tot na-na-toets), die totale nie-akademiese selfkonsep (voor- tot na-toets) en die totale algemene selfkonseptelling (van voor- tot na-toets). Die eksperimentele groep het nie ten opsigte van hulle GSE tellings verskil nie. Die mees klaarblyklike tussen-groep verskille in tellings is waargeneem tydens die na-na-toets met betrekking tot verbale vaardighede, akademiese vermoë, en totale akademiese selfkonseptellings (kontrole groep > eksperimentele groep) en selfkonsep betreffende verhoudinge met dieselfde geslag (eksperimentele groep> kontrole groep). 'n Betekenisvolle verband tussen die SDQIII en die GSE skale is oor die drie tydperke heen waargeneem. Hoogs beduidende r-waardes is vir albei groepe op alle metings waargeneem, met die uitsondering van een meting. Die finale bevinding dui daarop dat die Toubaan Ontwikkelingsprogram nie 'n effektiewe ingreep was om die selfkonsepte en selfdoeltreffendheid van jong beroepsoffisiere te verbeter nie. Daar bly dus steeds 'n behoefte aan wetenskaplik gefundeerde navorsing om die waarde van avontuurgerigte opleidingsprogramme in die Suid-Afrikaanse militêre konteks te motiveer.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African adolescents live in a transitional society during a life stage in which they seek to stabilise their identity. They face a heritage of widespread violence and poverty, the lived impact of HIV/AIDS and substance abuse, incessant bombardment by media modelling leisure and vice, an erratic education system, and strained family and social bonds. Noting these challenges South African psychology seeks to become more socially relevant and provide formalised opportunities for positive youth development, supporting the growth of strengths and virtues, and making high human potential actual. Psychologists should seek to provide interventions that can turn the tide of social degeneration towards individual and community flourishing. Schools provide an optimal context for such interventions, with adventure programmes providing a valuable mechanisms by which holistic development, flow, interdependence, competence, and modelling of pro-social values can be experienced. This study sought to investigate the different ways in which one such school-based wilderness adventure programme was experienced and the specific aspects of the programme responsible for variation in outcomes using the methodology of phenomenography. Phenomenography is a research method used to map the qualitatively different ways in which people understand, perceive, or experience various aspects of a specific phenomenon. By understanding the different ways a phenomenon can be experienced, and identifying the critical aspects responsible for more or less powerful ways of experiencing the phenomenon, phenomenography provides a powerful tool for improving educational delivery but had yet to be used as a method to study psychological interventions. Phenomenographic analysis of the descriptions of the 27 day adventure programme, in which participants covered 360km on foot, bicycle and canoe, and engaged in group debriefs, journalling, and a 30 hour solo, revealed four conceptions of the programme: (a) long gruelling school hike, (b) school initiation / rites of passage programme, (c) once-in-a-lifetime group adventure, or (d) multifaceted learning and development opportunity. These categories of description are structured hierarchically, from least to most powerful, and are directly related to the perceived outcomes of the programme. At the lowest level, perceived processes and outcomes are largely physical, whereas at the highest level participants descriptions are more complex, and focused more on learning and developmental change that was accrued during the programme and could be transferred to the participant's home and social context. There are six major dimensions of variations that were identified in the data that help to understand the hierarchical relationships between the four identified categories of description. These include (a) the overall characterisation of the programme, (b) the nature of group interactions and processes, (c) the nature of the interactions and emotional connection participants had with their adult leaders, (d) the depth with which participants engaged with their experiences on the programme, (e) the personal relevance that trials, interactions and accomplishments had for participants, and (f) the type of growth and learning that was perceived to have accrued as a result of the wilderness adventure programme. These findings have important implications for both adventure programming design and implementation, and for research on psychological interventions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaanse adolessente leef in ‘n oorgang samelewing gedurende ‘n lewensstadium waarin hulle poog om hul identiteit te stabiliseer. Hulle staar ‘n erfenis van wydverspreide geweld en armoede in die gesig, die geleefde impak van MIV/VIGS en dwelmverslawing, die aanhoudende bombardement deur die media wat ontspanning en onsedelikheid modelleer, ‘n wisselvallige onderwyssisteem, en gespanne gesins- en sosiale verbintenisse. Suid-Afrikaanse sielkunde het kennis geneem van hierdie uitdagings en poog om meer sosiaal relevant te word, en om geformaliseerde geleenthede te verskaf vir positiewe jeugontwikkeling wat die ontwikkeling van sterktes en deugde ondersteun, sowel as om hoë menslike potensiaal te aktualiseer. Sielkundiges behoort te streef om intervensies te verskaf wat sosiale agteruitgang kan verander in individuele- en gemeenskapsflorering. Skole verskaf ‘n optimale konteks vir so ‘n intervensie, met avontuur programme wat ‘n waardevolle meganisme verskaf deur middel waardeur holistiese ontwikkeling, vloei, interafhanklikheid, bevoegdheid, en die modellering van pro-sosiale waardes ondervind kan word. Hierdie studie het gepoog om die verskillende maniere te ondersoek van hoe so ‘n skoolgebaseerde wildernis avontuur program ondervind was, asook die spesifieke aspekte van die program wat verantwoordelik was vir die variasie in uitkomste deur middel van die gebruik van fenomenografiese metodologie. Fenomenografie is ‘n navorsingsmetode wat gebruik word om kwalitatief verskillende maniere te karteer van hoe mense verskillende aspekte van ‘n spesifieke fenomeen begryp, waarneem, of ondervind. Deur die verskillende maniere te verstaan van hoe ‘n fenomeen ondervind kan word, en deur die kritiese aspekte te identifiseer wat verantwoordelik is vir die òf meer òf minder kragtige maniere van hoe die fenomeen ondervind kan word, verskaf fenomenografie ‘n kragtige instrument wat aangewend kan word vir verbeterde onderwyslewering alhoewel die metode tot dusver nog nie aangewend is om sielkundige intervensies te bestudeer nie. Fenomenografiese analise van die beskrywings van ‘n 27-dag avontuur program, waarin deelnemers 360 km te voet, per fiets en kanoe gedek het, en deelgeneem het aan groepontlontings, dagboekhou, en ‘n 30-uur solo, het vier opvattings van die program onthul: (a) ‘n lang, uitmergelende skool staproete, (b) ‘n skool inwyding- / passasierite program, (c) ‘n eenmalige groep avontuur, of (d) ‘n veelsydige leer- en ontwikkelingsgeleentheid. Hierdie beskrywingskategorieë is hierargies gestruktureerd, van die mins tot die mees kragtig, en is direk verwant aan die waargenome uitkomste van die program. Op die laagste vlak is waargenome prosesse en uitkomste grootliks fisies, teenoor die hoogste vlak waar die beskrywings van deelnemers meer kompleks is, en meer gefokus is op leer- en ontwikkelingsverandering wat oploop tydens die program, en oorgedra kan word tot die deelnemer se huis- en sosiale konteks. Daar is ses hoof variasie dimensies wat geïdentifiseer is in die data wat lei tot ‘n beter begrip van die hierargiese verhoudings tussen die vier geïdentifiseerde beskrywingskategorieë. Hierdie sluit in (a) die algehele karakterisering van die program, (b) die aard van die groep interaksies en prosesse, (c) die aard van die interaksies en emosionele verband wat deelnemers gehad het met hulle volwasse leiers, (d) die diepte waarmee deelnemers geskakel het met hul ondervindings van die program, (e) die persoonlike relevansie wat beproewings, interaksies en prestasies gehad het vir die deelnemers, en (f) die tipe groei en leer wat ervaar is en vermeerder het as gevolg van die wildernis avontuur program. Hierdie bevindings het belangrike implikasies vir beide die ontwerp van avontuur programmering, die implementering daarvan, en vir navorsing op sielkundige intervensies.