The effectiveness of outdoor behavioral healthcare with struggling adolescents: A comparison group study a contribution for the special issue: Social innovation in child and youth services

This study examined the longitudinal impact of Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare on youth participants as reported by their parents. This analysis fills a critical gap in past research by including a Treatment as Usual (TAU) comparison group. Findings showed that youth participants who attended an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare treatment program were, as reported by their parents, were functioning significantly better than the TAU group one year following the program as measured by the Youth Outcome Questionnaire 2.01. Youth who remained in their communities were still at acute levels of psychosocial dysfunction during the same time span. Despite some differences between the means of the treatment and TAU groups across time between gender and groups, a regression analysis revealed age and gender not to be significant predictors of improvement. The only significant predictor was participation in the treatment group. •This comparison group study looked at the impact of Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare longitudinally on youth participants as reported by their parents.•Findings showed that youth participants one-year post participation in OBH treatment were functioning significantly better than youth who remained their communities.•Regression analysis showed the only significant predictor of change was participation in the treatment group.