An interventional study of Adventure-based Programming in Anxiety and Depression, sponsored by St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. Status unknown at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 16 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-02-20.
Sponsored by St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Team building exercises have been shown to be effective in improving an individual's ability to work within a group and build working relationships with others. Adventure Therapy assimilates team building exercises and teachings into an adventure style excursion into the wilderness or other non-typical environment. This combination of exposure and learning creates a unique experience for participants which preliminary research suggests is effective in reducing feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and shame and may increase empathy, self-concept, self-confidence, and subjects' well-being have also been shown to be improved by adventure therapy.
This study will use a series of questionnaires and interviews to determine whether an adventure based therapy is both effective and reasonable as a treatment for people with mood disorders like depression and anxiety. The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of adventure based therapy as a treatment intervention for outpatients with mood disorders. The investigators will observe any changes in mood, perceived self- efficacy, anxiety, self-stigma, hope, quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction, leisure motivation, and stress as a result of this intervention. As well, the investigators aim to capture participant's opinions of the program.
"Adventure programming is the use of experiential and challenging approaches to education, recreation, life skills and counseling. It is the use of new, unique and relevant activities to supplement conventional learning processes. Adventure-based activities are tailored to achieve desired outcomes related to specified learning objectives. The core purpose is to intensify learning and insight by focusing on the process that occurs during challenging activities."
Adventure Based Therapy (AT) is a unique approach to traditional therapy strategies. AT is based on the philosophy of "experiential education", which is defined as "learning by doing, with reflection". The idea of experiential learning is based on the belief that learning is a result of direct experience, and learning is most effective when multiple senses are actively involved. By increasing the intensity of the mental and physical demands of learning, one can be fully engaged in the learning by simultaneously stimulating all sensory systems. Psychological research on information processing indicates that multi-sensory processing increases cognitive activity such as problem solving, processing of an experience, and memory. AT combines physical activity, social empowerment, and problem solving skills into a multi-sensory experience.
Recent literature suggests that AT can benefit patients' recovery. For example, preliminary work suggests that AT is effective in reducing feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and shame, and may increase empathy. Self-concept, self-confidence, and subjects' well-being have also been shown to be improved by AT. The concept of AT stems from the idea of team building exercises, and the notion that through participation patients experience increased group cohesion, therapeutic alliance, and communication and negotiation skills. Here, we will assess these variables in patients with mood disorders participating in AT using an extensive assessment battery. In addition, we will follow patients longitudinally to assess the durability of these effects.
The present research will be a pilot study designed to modify the protocol for the main trial. We will assess engagement in treatment by exploring participants' actual experiences and how they attribute meaning to their involvement in the therapeutic adventure based program. A qualitative research design that uses the Grounded Theory method will be used. Grounded Theory promotes a focus on individuals in real life situations and local social contexts. Qualitative interviews give participants the opportunity to have their voices or stories included in research studies as well as contribute to the development of effective treatment interventions. Feasibility of the trial will be determined by analyzing resource and economic utilization throughout the pilot.
8,057 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,641 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 25 is below the median of 84 across 6,720 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton is the lead sponsor of 137 studies on the registry; 31 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
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Participate in a two day Adventure-based Programming retreat and team building exercises.
Behavioral: Adventure-based Programming
Feasibility, as measured by Number of Participants who complete the Adventure-based Programming retreat and team building exercises and Qualitative engagement feedback
Interviews will be conducted with participants to determine the success in engagement of participants and the execution of the study (including allocation of staff, resources, etc.).
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks following intervention
BDI-II Score
Difference in the score of the Beck Depression Inventory II immediately after the intervention compared to baseline immediately before intervention.
Time frame: Up to 1 week following intervention
BDI-II Score
How well the difference in the score of the Beck Depression Inventory II is retained at 1 month compared to immediately after the intervention.
Time frame: 1 month following intervention
BDI-II Score
How well the difference in the score of the Beck Depression Inventory II is retained at 3 months compared to immediately after the intervention.
Time frame: 3 months following intervention
BAI Score
Difference in the score of the Beck Anxiety Inventory immediately after the intervention compared to baseline immediately before intervention.
Time frame: Up to 1 week following intervention
BAI Score
How well the difference in the score of the Beck Anxiety Inventory is retained at 1 month compared to immediately after the intervention.
Time frame: 1 month following intervention
BAI Score
How well the difference in the score of the Beck Anxiety Inventory is retained at 3 month compared to immediately after the intervention.
Time frame: 3 months following intervention
This study is status unknown, as verified in Feb 2015. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton