Keywords

reflective writing, self-efficacy, outdoor recreation, adventure therapy

Abstract

During two decades of teaching, we have observed that writing students seem more emotionally honest when their writing class is accompanied by an outdoor recreation component. The ability to take perceived risks is important to both outdoor recreation and writing; thus, we postulated that confidence gained in taking risks in outdoor experiences might affect students’ confidence in taking risks in their reflective writing. In this study, we applied Bandura’s (1997) self-efficacy theory to two classes of writing students, one that included outdoor experience and one that did not. We examined whether participating in outdoor activities would increase the self-efficacy of risk taking in the experimental group and whether this growth of self-efficacy in outdoor contexts would be accompanied by increased self-efficacy of risk taking in writing personal essays. Findings indicated significantly more growth of self-efficacy scores pertaining to risk taking in the writing of students in the experimental group versus those in the control group.

Original Publication Citation

Taniguchi, S., Bennion, J., Duerden, M. D., Widmer, M. A., Warren, A., & Hoffman, E. (2017). Self-Efficacy of Risk Taking in Outdoor Recreation as a Predictor of the Self- Efficacy of Risk Taking in Essay Writing. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership 9(40), 426-439.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2017

Publisher

Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Experience Design and Management

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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