Adolescent girls and body image: influence of an outdoor adventure program on healthy living

This Thesis explores the influence of outdoor adventure programs on body image in adolescent girls. Through questionnaires and focus groups, thirteen high school-aged Girl Ventures alumnae discussed body image in the context of "healthy living," and reflected on the impact their outdoor adventure experience had on personal body image. Participants considered positive body image to be part of healthy living, and recognized relationships with others, physical health, and time in nature as influencing their body images. Girl Ventures alumnae perceived their program as having positively influenced their body images during and directly following their course, and most perceived their program as still positively influencing their body images up to three years post-course. This study offers specific information to Girl Ventures about effects of their programs and, more broadly, may extend knowledge of the ability for outdoor adventure programming to positively affect the healthy development of adolescent girls.