How Big Is the Risk in Wilderness Treatment of Adolescents? By: Rob Cooley, Ph.D This peer-reviewed scholarly journal reported an analysis of statistics from Anasazi, Aspen Achievement Academy, Red Cliff Ascent, and Catherine Freer's short-term wilderness programs. The risk in these four popular wilderness programs is "about on a par with cross-country skiing; a little safer than canoeing; somewhat less risky than going on a summer adventure camp for adolescents; half as risky as overnight backpacking in general; considerably safer than downhill skiing; about 18 times less likely to result in injury than are high school football practices and cheerleading; and less than half as risky for fatal accidents as motor vehicles are for 15 to 19 year olds. |
