Challenging Girls' Constructions of Femininity in the Outdoors

This qualitative study examined how participation in an extensive all-female wilderness program challenged conventional notions of femininity for adolescent girls. Interviews were conducted 4 to 5 months and 15 to 18 months after completion of a 23-day canoe expedition. Additional data collection included a focus group, a public presentation, parent surveys, journal entries, and other written materials created by the participants. Results revealed that the girls challenged conventional notions of femininity in diverse ways. This included: 1) perseverance, strength, and determination; 2) challenging assumptions of girls' abilities; 3) feelings of accomplishment and pride; 4) questioning ideal images of beauty; 5) increased ability to speak out and leadership skills; and 6) building significant relationships with other girls. Implications of these results for program planners of all-female programs are discussed.

The Impact of a Wilderness Experience on the Social Interactions and Social Expectations of Behaviorally Disordered Adolescents

The literature clearly supports the thesis that behaviorally disordered students need to develop appropriate social skills and the ability to cope effectively with stressful situations. Although a majority of the literature has focused on the development of social skills in the school setting, other settings such as wilderness programs appear to be viable alternatives to traditional training programs. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a modified wilderness program on the cooperative and aggressive behaviors of seriously emotionally disturbed adolescents utilizing standardized measures and direct observation procedures. The second goal was to apply Bandura's self-efficacy theory as a means to understand and evaluate the impact of this intervention procedure. The results of this study indicate that the behaviorally disordered adolescents who participated in the wilderness program had a significant increase in cooperative behaviors, and that the direct observation procedures were significantly more sensitive to changes in the participants' overt behaviors.