Helping factors in outdoor adventure education: An exploration of how they vary across intervention stages of group process during an expedition

Despite the recognized positive effects attributed to outdoor adventure education programs, few studies have examined the mechanisms involved therein, particularly with regard to factors that influence group process. The purpose of this qualitative research was to examine an outdoor adventure education program utilizing Yalom’s helping factors in relationship to established groupwork intervention stages. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 individuals who participated in an 18-day outdoor adventure expedition. Findings shared include the conditions and group stages that helping factors emerge and suggest the relevance of offering adventure-based programs in nature settings for effective groupwork.