Effects of adventure education on the psychological well-being of university students

Abstract

Abstract

This study analyses the effects of an Adventure Education (AE) program on university students in regard to psychological variables such as frustration, resilience, engagement, and life satisfaction. AE is based on physical experiences in natural environments that promote the students’ integral, emotional, and social development. The sample consisted of 92 university students (19–30 years old) enrolled in the subject Physical Activities in Natural Environments. A quasi-experimental pre—post design without a control group was applied along with a profile analysis. The students participated for three consecutive days in activities such as hiking, climbing, orienteering, kayaking, via ferratas, and survival techniques, guided by qualified outdoor instructors holding national certification in their respective disciplines. All 92 participants completed every planned activity across the three-day programme. Validated scales were used to measure the above-mentioned variables. The results showed significant improvements following the intervention: frustration (ΔM = -0.31) decreased while resilience (ΔM = +0.33), engagement (ΔM = +0.40), academic satisfaction (ΔM = +0.46), and life satisfaction (ΔM = +0.43) increased. The correlations showed a stronger positive relationship between resilience, satisfaction, and engagement, and a reduced negative association with frustration. Cluster analyses reflected a change from heterogeneous profiles to a predominant profile characterized by high resilience, engagement, and satisfaction, and low frustration. In conclusion, the findings support the view that AE is a promising pedagogical strategy to enhance psychological well-being, emotional self-regulation, and resilience in the university context, offering meaningful educational experiences in natural environments.