Behavioral and Emotional Crisis Management in Adventure Education

Abstract

David was a 16-year-old resident of a group home for adolescents who were in placement as a result of juvenile court determination of being abused or neglected. He was chosen to be a participant on a wilderness therapy trip in order to help him learn skills to more appropriately express his emotions and learn new ways of relating to peers. On the first day on the trail the group was hiking up a ridgeline that was steep and long. David started to berate the adolescent designated as the scout, John, calling him names and hiking on John's heels. By the time the group reached camp, David and John were yelling back and forth. The trip leaders tried to get these adolescents together to talk, but David and John began pushing each other and threatening violence. The leaders' attempts to reason with them failed when punches were thrown. John was knocked to the ground by a punch in the head, and David ran off into the woods.