“Feels Good to Get Wet”: The Unique Affordances of Surf Therapy Among Australian Youth

Abstract

Increasing prevalence rates of mental health problems among adolescents is an issue of growing concern. Surf therapy is a novel intervention that may provide tangible benefits to address this problem. Congruent with the ecological dynamics perspective (EDP), the existing research postulates that surf therapy yields psychological benefits in part due to the unique affordances of immersion in a blue space such as the ocean. Evidence worldwide has validated the use of surfing as a therapeutic mediator to achieve positive change, however, no such research has been conducted on Australian adolescents. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Waves of Wellness (WOW) Foundation's 8 week surf therapy program on mental health outcomes in Australian at-risk youth. The study employed a mixed-methods design to examine the experiences of participants. Nine adolescents (Mage = 14.9; SD = 1.2; 8 female) participated in the quantitative stage, with four completing the qualitative interview. Results indicated positive changes in resilience, self-esteem, social connectedness, and depressive symptoms post-intervention, however, improvements were not maintained at follow-up. Participants unanimously agreed that the program normalised their experiences with mental health through the unique leaning environment and fostered personal growth through mastery experiences and the development of healthy relationships. The EDP provided the most compelling explanation of the results denoting that benefits arise from the reciprocal relationship between individual, task, and environment. Despite the small and heterogenous sample, the findings provided preliminary evidence of the efficacy of surf therapy among Australian youth and offer a potential starting point for further research utilising larger more diverse samples.

“Virtual Surf Booth”: Assessment of a Novel Tool and Data Collection Process to Measure the Impact of a 6-Week Surf Programme on Mental Wellbeing

“…Participants also showed improvements in positive functioning (t(82) = −6.42, p < 0.000) and emotional wellbeing (t(81) = −3.87, p < 0.000) measured by the validated Stirling Children's Wellbeing Scale [65,66]. These findings are also supported by the sense of achievement and the positive impact on mood induced by surf sessions expressed in a mixed-method study conducted with 9 young people [13]. The study also showed an increase in the means of mental health and social connectedness outcomes using validated tools, although no statistical analysis was run due to lack of power.…”

“…Being in blue and green spaces has also been shown to be linked to improved mental health, potentially mediated by being in a healthier environment conducive to social interactions, restoration, and physical activity [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The possible pathways of restoration, social connectedness and support, personal growth, physical activity, and feeling of being in a safe space have also been identified in the surf therapy research but their predictive weight remain to be confirmed [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. More research is needed to elucidate the pathways of blue space and surfing leading to improved mental wellbeing.…”

Effectiveness of Community-Based Outreach Interventions for Individuals Living with Mental Ill-Health in Australia: A Systematic Review

“…Our analysis of included study outcomes demonstrates that some light-touch interventions were efective in improving psychosocial health [75]; reducing the incidence of suicide and self-harm [84,93]; reducing symptoms related to depression [89,92], generalised anxiety [76]; and posttraumatic stress disorder [90]. A tailored 8-week meditation-based program in the public-sector work environment proved to be an efective, efcient, and low-cost inclusion within an organisation's health promotion repertoire to help improve the staf's mental health [101].…”

La surf thérapie, un outil innovant de réhabilitation psychosociale !

“…-Environnementale : le message écologique, invitant le pratiquant à préserver son environnement, le met dans un rôle d'acteur pour la planète, permettant une reconnexion à son environnement. Ainsi les avantages découlent de la relation réciproque entre la personne, l'activité et l'environnement [25] ;…”