Efficacy of Adventure Therapy for People with Psychological Distress
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Efficacy of Adventure Therapy in a Clinical Setting: An Individualised Approach
IRAS ID
356230
Contact name
Calum Muskett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bangor University, College of Medicine and Health
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 27 days
Research summary
Why
The number of people living with mental health difficulties is increasing, and many need new and effective ways to support their recovery. Adventure therapy is one approach that combines outdoor activities with psychological support. The idea is that being outdoors and taking part in activities such as climbing or walking can help people feel better, learn new ways to cope, and support their personal growth. It may be especially useful for people living with conditions such as anxiety, psychosis, depression, or difficulties linked to trauma. Although adventure therapy is already used in some places, there is little scientific research about how well it works for people receiving care in NHS psychology services.What
This study will test adventure therapy as a way of supporting people referred to NHS psychology services. It will focus on how and why the approach works, not just whether it helps. In particular, the study will explore two ideas:whether improvements in emotion regulation (how people manage their feelings) are an important part of how adventure therapy helps, and
whether personal goal setting makes the therapy more individualised and increases people’s engagement.
Who
We will work with clinical psychologists in three NHS services within Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB): the Substance Misuse Service, Early Intervention in Psychosis, and the Diabetes Psychology Service. Clinical psychologists will help to identify and invite people currently receiving care who may benefit from taking part.When
The adventure therapy programme will run for 10 weeks. Each week, participants will take part in a 3-hour session, either climbing or walking. There will be a 4-week period before the sessions start, to allow us to use a staggered baseline design. Participants will also be followed up 6 months after the programme ends to see if the benefits last.How
The research team will deliver the adventure therapy sessions in partnership with NHS clinicians. Each person’s programme will be individualised, with activities and goals tailored to their needs and preferences. This focus on personal choice is central to the intervention.The study will use a single-case experimental design. This means we will look closely at changes over time for each person, rather than only comparing averages across groups. A Bayesian analysis will be used to give a detailed picture of change. Alongside improvements in wellbeing, we will also look at outcomes such as emotion regulation, goal achievement, use of NHS services.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0260
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jan 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion