Outdoor Behavioral Health Care: A Longitudinal Assessment of Young Adult Outcomes

Abstract

This article details a 3‐year outdoor behavioral health care outcome study. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze data from 186 young adults in a wilderness therapy program. Participants completed the Outcome Questionnaire–45.2 (Lambert et al., ) 6 times from Week 1 to 18‐month postdischarge follow‐up. Results indicated that clinically and statistically significant change occurred in treatment. Rates of change varied, and posttreatment scores remained stable, thus demonstrating that in‐treatment gains were maintained. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Young Adults in Residential and Outdoor Behavioral Health Programs: Prelimniary Outcomes from the Practice Research Network of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs

“…The finding that young adults in RTC programs have high rates of substance abuse problems suggests that such programs are uniquely positioned to address substance abuse issues. This finding is consistent with other studies of young adults' presenting problems (Bettmann et al, 2016;Hoag et al, 2013;Roberts et al, 2016) which likewise found high rates of substance abuse problems in their samples of young adults. Few studies have explored substance abuse outcomes in young adult OBH and RTC programs; this is an area that needs to be further researched for this population.…”

“…It is important to bear in mind that participants' scores remain in the normal range of functioning at six months postdischarge for both the OBH and RTC programs. Other than the slight difference found between the OBH and RTC samples post-discharge, the trends in this study are consistent with those found in other OBH young adult samples (Hoag et al, 2013;Roberts et al, 2016;Roberts et al, 2017) as well as in samples of OBH and RTC adolescents (Behrens, 2011;Tucker et al, 2011;Zelov et al, 2013).…”

“…Preliminary research with young adults in RTC and OBH programs suggests that the findings are similar to those of adolescents in RTC and OBH programs (Hoag et al, 2013;Roberts et al, 2016;Roberts et al, 2017;Russell et al, 2016;Treadway, 2017).…”

“…Recently, young adult RTC and OBH have received research attention (Bettmann et al, 2016;Hoag, Massey, Roberts, & Logan, 2013;Roberts et al, 2016;Roberts, Stroud, Hoag, & Massey, 2017;Russell, Gillis, & Heppner, 2016;Treadway, 2017). Preliminary research with young adults in RTC and OBH programs suggests that the findings are similar to those of adolescents in RTC and OBH programs (Hoag et al, 2013;Roberts et al, 2016;Roberts et al, 2017;Russell et al, 2016;Treadway, 2017).…”

“…While research on RTC and OBH programs has grown substantially in recent decades, it has primarily focused on adolescent characteristics, programs, and outcomes (Roberts, Stroud, Hoag, & Combs, 2016;Treadway, 2017).…”