Who are They? A Descriptive Study of Adolescents in Wilderness and Residential Programs

Abstract

Although residential and wilderness treatment programs are growing in popularity, little is known about the adolescents placed within them. This study analyzed a random sample of 473 psychological evaluations of adolescents in residential and wilderness treatment centers for participants' cognitive functioning, aggression, family history of mental health, substance abuse, trauma, past treatment experiences, and reasons for current placement. The results suggest that participants were primarily delinquent, substance-abusing, and oppositional. Results also revealed nearly a third of the sample reported self-harming behaviors and nearly half reported recent traumatic events. The profile of this population carries important implications for residential treatment providers. KEYWORDS residential treatment, adolescents, wilderness therapy, outdoor behavioral healthcareThe lead author is part-owner of a wilderness therapy program and the fifth author owns a psychological testing company that tests clients of wilderness therapy and residential treatment programs.

Proof of Concept of an Eclectic, Integrative Therapeutic Approach to Mental Health and Well-Being Through Virtual Reality Technology

“…Wilderness therapy is often conducted in residential settings with adolescents including those who have recently experienced traumatic stressors (e.g., Bettmann et al, 2011), and there is an increasing emphasis on delivering interventions within the framework of trauma-informed care (Norton et al, 2019). The wilderness-based activities available to participants variably include hiking, canoeing or kayaking, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, rock-climbing, and related activities (Tucker and Norton, 2013).…”

Patterns of maltreatment and diagnosis across levels of care in group homes

“…Findings from this literature on residential programs, generally, indicate that the youth served experience a range of psychiatric disorders and high rates of comorbidity (Conner, Doerfler, Toscano, Volungis, & Steingard, 2004). Further, many youth in residential programs (50–70%) have experienced at least one type of trauma (e.g., physical abuse; sexual abuse; community violence) (Bettmann, Lundahl, Wright, Jasperson, & McRoberts, 2011; Boyer, Hallion, Hammell, & Button, 2009; Jaycox, Ebener, Damesek, & Becker, 2004; Warner & Pottick, 2003), including high rates of maltreatment (Hussey & Guo, 2002; James, Zhang, & Landsverk, 2012). Studies also indicate that the greater complexity of maltreatment histories (i.e., more incidents and/or types of maltreatment experienced) seen among youth in residential programs as compared to the general population (e.g., Costello, Erkanli, Fairbank, & Angold, 2002) contributes to higher risk for multiple diagnoses (e.g., Copeland, Keeler, Angold, & Costello, 2007; D’Andrea, Ford, Stolbach, Spinazzola, & van der Kolk, 2012).…”

Differences Between Adopted and Nonadopted Adolescents in Wilderness and Residential Treatment

“…Our study thus sought to answer the question, "Do adopted and nonadopted adolescents in wilderness and residential treatment differ psychologically or academically, and if so, how?" Answering this question may impact wilderness and residential programs that serve populations in which approximately 16.5% of all clients are adopted (Bettmann et al, 2011).…”