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Adventure Awaits: Exploring Mindfulness Practices During Outdoor Adventures Trips

Mike Banaag, Paul T. Stuhr

Journal of Outdoor Recreation Education and Leadership September 22, 2023 DOI: 10.18666/jorel-2023-11850 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Population University students participating in Outdoor Adventure trips
Intervention Mindfulness practices
Topics Meditation
Citations 2
Key findings The findings suggest that mindfulness practices are a beneficial component of adventure programming, promoting opportunities for participants to reduce stress and socially engage during the Outdoor Adventure activity. The author proposes the term "Mindful Lived-Outdoor Experience" (MLOE) to define a participant's experience during an OA trip that includes mindfulness practices.

Abstract

An argument can be made that integrating mindfulness practices (MPs) into Outdoor Adventure (OA) programming can help students develop and expand on a variety of social and emotional attributes, such as stress reduction, awareness of the present moment, relationship skills, and maintaining psychosocial equilibrium. However, there is a paucity of empirical inquiry that specifically aims to explore in-depth participant experience using MPs in OA programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceived benefits that MPs provided university students during OA trips. The term Mindful Lived-Outdoor Experience (MLOE) was conceptualized to define a participant’s experience during an OA trip with MPs included. The findings suggest MPs are a beneficial component in adventure programming. The MPs promoted opportunity for participants to reduce stress and socially engage during the OA activity.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

Citations in the library

Cites 4

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Meditation