EFFECTS OF A THERAPEUTIC CAMPING PROGRAM ON ADDICTION RECOVERY - THE ALGONQUIAN HAYMARKET RELAPSE PREVENTION PROGRAM

A group of 13 men and women in substance abuse treatment participated in a 3-day residential program experience based an integrated principl es from adventure therapy, therapeutic camping, and relapse prevention . The experimental group is compared to a group of 18 men and women wh o received the usual and customary relapse prevention program. Both gr oups completed pre- and postintervention questionnaires. There were no differences in drinking-related locus of control, stress, or problem- solving between groups at postinterview, but there were significant im provements in autonomic arousal, frequency of negative thoughts, and a lcohol craving. Participants in both groups were interviewed 10 months after the 3-day intervention. Considering individuals who were unreac hable as relapsed, the 10-month follow-up relapse rare was 31% for the experimental group and 58% for the comparison group. These results ad d to the limited body of research supporting outdoor adventure and the rapeutic camping experiences integrated with traditional relapse preve ntion activities as an adjunct to substance abuse treatment (C) 1998 E lsevier Science Inc.