Promoting Resiliency and Flourishing through Collegiate Outdoor Orientation Programming

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

The transition to college is often a difficult period of adjustment for most young adults (Kelly, 2019; DeBerard, Spielmans, & Julka, 2004). During the transition to college, young adults encounter new challenges and are forced to make critical decisions. Adapting to this major life event can cause tremendous stress and lead to more serious psychological distress (Lu, 1994). Resilience and flourishing are two common terms use to define the need to overcome adversity. Being resilient is one’s ability to deal with and adapt to stress or adverse circumstances (Benard, 2003; Wagnild & Young, 1993, Wolin & Wolin, 1993). Similarly, flourishing is “a state in which an individual feels positive emotion toward life and is functioning well psychologically and socially…such individuals are filled with emotional vitality and are functioning positively in the private and social realms of their life” (Keyes & Haidt 2003, p. 6). Young adults who are not able to develop the necessary processes to manage these new stressors often leave higher education during the first year. Leaving is not only detrimental for the individual, but also can cause negative repercussions for the university (DeBerard et al., 2004). Therefore, alleviating stress during this difficult period of transition has been the focus of many higher education institutions. In order to achieve this, all accredited colleges and universities in the United States have a first-year orientation program (Bell, Gass, Nafziger & Starbuck, 2014). Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify the effects of an outdoor orientation program on participants' levels of resilience and flourishing.

Presenting Author Name/s

Abigail Rossiter

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Eddie Hill

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Disciplines

Health and Physical Education | Outdoor Education

Session Title

Darden College of Education and Professional Studies/LeADERS

Location

Learning Commons @ Perry Library Conference Room 1311

Start Date

2-8-2020 9:00 AM

End Date

2-8-2020 10:00 AM

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Feb 8th, 9:00 AM Feb 8th, 10:00 AM

Promoting Resiliency and Flourishing through Collegiate Outdoor Orientation Programming

Learning Commons @ Perry Library Conference Room 1311

The transition to college is often a difficult period of adjustment for most young adults (Kelly, 2019; DeBerard, Spielmans, & Julka, 2004). During the transition to college, young adults encounter new challenges and are forced to make critical decisions. Adapting to this major life event can cause tremendous stress and lead to more serious psychological distress (Lu, 1994). Resilience and flourishing are two common terms use to define the need to overcome adversity. Being resilient is one’s ability to deal with and adapt to stress or adverse circumstances (Benard, 2003; Wagnild & Young, 1993, Wolin & Wolin, 1993). Similarly, flourishing is “a state in which an individual feels positive emotion toward life and is functioning well psychologically and socially…such individuals are filled with emotional vitality and are functioning positively in the private and social realms of their life” (Keyes & Haidt 2003, p. 6). Young adults who are not able to develop the necessary processes to manage these new stressors often leave higher education during the first year. Leaving is not only detrimental for the individual, but also can cause negative repercussions for the university (DeBerard et al., 2004). Therefore, alleviating stress during this difficult period of transition has been the focus of many higher education institutions. In order to achieve this, all accredited colleges and universities in the United States have a first-year orientation program (Bell, Gass, Nafziger & Starbuck, 2014). Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify the effects of an outdoor orientation program on participants' levels of resilience and flourishing.