Behavior and Group Management in Outdoor Adventure Education

Outdoor, adventure and experiential education programs that feature challenging tasks such as rock climbing or wilderness trekking are often intended to facilitate group cohesion. Despite this, far more attention has been paid to physical risk management than to group and individual behaviour. This is the first book to address this vitally important aspect of outdoor education. It explains how to manage and interact with groups and how to mitigate negative behaviours. Outlining key theory and evidence-based training practices, it is vital reading for students on outdoor and adventure courses, and for practitioners looking to enhance their clients' experiences or train instructional staff.

Alan Ewert is a Professor in Outdoor Leadership at Indiana University, USA. He has also served in the position of Branch Chief of Recreation, Wilderness, and Urban Forestry Research for the USDA Forest Service. In that position, he was involved in helping initiate the development of a social science and human well-being program in the Forest Service. He has published numerous articles on the relationship between natural settings and human health in addition to a number of books on adventure education Curt Davidson recently received his PhD from Indiana University, USA, and studies the intersections of cognitive health, outdoor adventure, and social support. He has taught several courses at Indiana University, including graduate level Behavior Management and Adventure Education Facilitation. In addition, he has held positions as an outdoor instructor with over 12 programs including Outward Bound and Summit Adventure. His expertise in facilitation has led him to conduct multiple workshops for a variety of programs

Foreword [Peter Steinhauser] Preface [Alan Ewert and Curt Davidson] 1. Overview of the Book 2. Introduction to Outdoor Adventure Education and Behavioral and Group Management 3. Therapeutic Considerations in Behavior and Group Management 4. Relevant Theories and the Application in Outdoor Adventure Education and Behavioral and Group Management 5. Selected Constructs Useful in Behavior and Group Management 6. Relevant Techniques and Their Use in the Field 7. Working with Specific Populations 8. Student Medication Management and Issues 9. Substance Abuse, Rule Violation, and Inappropriate Behaviors 10. Other Resources Bibliography