Pilot Study: The Effects of a Mountain Wilderness Experience on Combat Veteran Psychosocial Wellness

Abstract

The purpose of this quasi-experimental pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 3.5 day outdoor wilderness program (Huts for Vets, HFV) for reducing psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, and improving positive mood states. It was hypothesized that participation in the HFV program would predict improvements in psychosocial well-being in addition to reductions in PTSD symptomatology relative to a waiting-list control group. Participants included 51 adult veterans diagnosed with PTSD and/or some other combat-related disability (M_age = 36.8, SD = 8.19). The experimental group (n = 32) participated in the HFV program, which included hiking and group discussions. Data collection via psychosocial scale administration took place two weeks prior to the HFV trip, on the last day of the trip, and at a 6 week follow up. Participants in the control group (n = 19) underwent the psychosocial assessments on the same schedule, however, they did not participate in the outdoor program. Results indicated significant and sustained reductions in depression, anxiety, somatic stress, negative affect, and PTSD symptoms among program participants, alongside acute improvements in positive moods, relative to the control group. The current findings suggest that therapeutic recreation offers promising benefits as a complementary intervention for combat veterans.

Keywords:

• Leisure time and activity
• posttraumatic stress disorder
• recreational therapy
• depression
• affect

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Gerald Alpern, PhD, for his assistance in data collection for the current study. Portions of these data were presented virtually by poster at the 91^st annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association in June, 2020. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.