Brymer Eric, Sharma-Brymer Vinathe, Willis Royce, Leach Matthew
Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
Manna Institute, New England University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
Front Psychol. 2024 Aug 30;15:1352352. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352352. eCollection 2024.
In this paper, we explore the concept of outdoor adventure in the context of mental health, proposing an ecological perspective to redefine adventure beyond its traditional associations with risk and physical challenge. We critically examine current frameworks and definitions of adventure, which often emphasise specific activities and natural environments yet overlook the individual's experience and potential mental health benefits. From an ecological perspective, we emphasise the dynamic interplay between the individual, the activity, and the environment. This approach, grounded in ecological psychology, considers the multi-dimensional nature of adventure, including social, psychological, physical, and spiritual aspects. The paper challenges the traditional risk-focused view of adventure, advocating for a broader definition that includes diverse experiences and interactions, as well as the transformative potential of adventure in various environments, including urban settings. We highlight the changing demographics and motivations of adventure participants, moving away from the stereotypical young male risk-seeker, to more diverse and inclusive participant profiles. We argue that adventure facilitates the realisation of fundamental human affordances, often untapped in daily life, thereby enhancing mental health and wellbeing. This ecological perspective opens new avenues for understanding the role of adventure in mental health and wellbeing, offering a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to adventure activities as therapeutic interventions. This redefined understanding of adventure emphasises its potential as a powerful tool for enhancing human wellbeing, harmonising the relationship between people, tasks, and the environment, and offering profound implications for mental health contexts.
在本文中，我们探讨了心理健康背景下的户外冒险概念，提出了一种生态视角，以超越冒险与风险和身体挑战的传统关联来重新定义冒险。我们批判性地审视了当前冒险的框架和定义，这些框架和定义往往强调特定活动和自然环境，却忽视了个人的体验以及潜在的心理健康益处。从生态视角来看，我们强调个人、活动和环境之间的动态相互作用。这种基于生态心理学的方法考虑了冒险的多维度性质，包括社会、心理、身体和精神层面。本文挑战了传统的以风险为重点的冒险观念，主张采用更广泛的定义，涵盖多样化的体验和互动，以及冒险在包括城市环境在内的各种环境中的变革潜力。我们强调冒险参与者的人口统计学特征和动机正在发生变化，从刻板的年轻男性风险寻求者，转向更加多样化和包容性的参与者群体。我们认为冒险有助于实现基本的人类能力，而这些能力在日常生活中往往未被挖掘，从而增进心理健康和幸福感。这种生态视角为理解冒险在心理健康和幸福中的作用开辟了新途径，为将冒险活动作为治疗干预措施提供了更全面和包容的方法。这种对冒险的重新定义强调了其作为增强人类幸福感的有力工具的潜力，协调了人与任务及环境之间的关系，并对心理健康背景具有深远意义。
