Oral 01 | Psychological mechanisms/effectiveness of adventure-based therapy for treating youth trauma-related difficulties
Tracks
Track 10
| Friday, May 15, 2020 |
| 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
Presenter(s)
A/Prof Amy Mullens
University Of Southern Queensland
Oral 01 | Psychological mechanisms/effectiveness of adventure-based therapy for treating youth trauma-related difficulties
10:30 AM - 10:50 AMOutline
Up to two-thirds of young people are exposed to at least one traumatic event by the age of 16 years, most commonly maltreatment, abuse, and neglect. Negative effects of trauma can intensify over time, and have a severe impact on long-term development and functioning. Adventure-based therapy is becoming more recognised as a treatment approach with youth experiencing a range of psychosocial/behavioural difficulties, especially those resistant to previous treatments. Adventure-based interventions include use of adventure experiences provided by multiple professionals in mental health, often using natural settings that engage individuals on cognitive, affective, and behavioural levels. The programs use gradually increasing challenges in groupwork contexts that help young people develop problem solving skills, overcome their perceived limitations and develop a sense of achievement, as well as developing self-confidence and positive interpersonal skills. The aim of this systematic literature review was twofold: to examine published empirical literature on the effectiveness of adventure-based interventions with youth who have experienced trauma, and explore what mechanisms of change are operating in adventure-based interventions to explain positive outcomes for youth with a range of psychosocial/behavioural difficulties. Following the PRISMA framework for systematic literature reviews, a database search was conducted. There were three studies found exploring adventure-based interventions for youth survivors of trauma, and ten studies examining mechanisms of change with six themes identified: engaging activities, therapeutic relationships, social support, physical and emotional challenges, nature, and time. There were also noteworthy findings from these studies including choice and control over attendance, after-care facilities, and outcomes from the interventions. These findings show use of adventure-based therapy for treating youth survivors of trauma is promising and warrants further research. The examination of mechanisms of change help to understand how adventure-based programs are effective for treating youth with a wide variety of psychosocial/behavioural difficulties--especially when traditional-based therapies are not successful.
Biography
Associate Professor Amy Mullens is a Clinical and Health Psychologist in Queensland (since 2001). She has worked across public, private, academic and community settings, focussing on clinical/health psychology, mental health, public health and chronic conditions. As a former Senior Clinician/Team Leader with Queensland Health, she provided leadership regarding projects in applied clinical research in screening prevention and management of chronic conditions and has lead numerous clinical governance initiatives. Amy completed her Clinical Psychology Master’s degree (behavioural medicine) in USA in 2001; and later completed a PhD in Psychology at QUT in 2011. Amy’s current role is Associate Professor and she is responsible for training post-graduate psychologists, supervising Honours and post-graduate theses/HDR projects, and leading the Research Program Team “Health, Care & Social Justice”—and inter-disciplinary research team clinical/health psychology, health behaviour change, and chronic condition screening, prevention and management to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities among priority groups. She also holds a Visiting Research Fellow role with Queensland University of Technology. Amy has co-authored 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and two book chapters in health psychology (h index = 9; total citations =664). Her recent collaborative research projects with industry and other community and academic partners have focused on improving the lives and well-being of those living with or at risk of chronic conditions (among marginalized communities), including external funding in the past 5 years from competitive grants, as Primary Investigator of over $700,000.
Ms Renee Harrington
Psychological mechanisms/effectiveness of adventure-based therapy for treating youth trauma-related difficulties
10:30 AM - 10:50 AMBiography
Renee Harrington is an experienced teacher who is passionate about the social/ emotional development and functioning of youth. She has teaching experience across grades prep to year 12 and holds degrees in Education and Psychology. Renee is also trained in a number of specialist qualifications delivering parenting and social/emotional courses including Circle of Security and Secret Agent Society. These qualifications have been complemented with experience working with 'youth-at-risk' through in a vocational school for disengaged youth. More recently, Renee completed her Honours in Science (Psychology) writing a structured literature review which examined mechanisms of change that are operating adventure-based therapy programs with 'youth-at-risk'. Renee is a mother of three children and an active member of her community through her role as a scout leader.
