This study examined the effectiveness of adventure-based family intervention (ABFI) groups in strengthening family resilience, improving family relationships, and enhancing individual well-being among Chinese families during the COVID-19 pandemic and postpandemic periods. Method: A three-arm quasi-experimental design was employed, comprising (1) the ABFI group with an overnight camp (ABFI-CAMP), (2) the ABFI group with parent and child parallel group sessions and a day camp (ABFI-PARALLEL), and (3) a control group that did not participate in any ABFI programs. Results: Participants exhibited increased family resilience, marital satisfaction, life satisfaction, and personal resilience, alongside a reduction in parent–child conflict, hopelessness, and mental health symptoms compared to the control group. The ABFI-CAMP group demonstrated better outcomes compared to the ABFI-PARALLEL group. Discussion: ABFI groups are effective in strengthening family resilience, improving family relationships, and enhancing individual well-being among families during times of adversity, offering important insights for social work practice.
AlmeidaM.ChallaM.RibeiroM.HarrisonA. M.CastroM. C. (2022). Editorial perspective: The mental health impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(5), 608–612. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13535
2.
BaumannA. A.KuhlbergJ. A.ZayasL. H. (2010). Familism, mother–daughter mutuality, and suicide attempts of adolescent Latinas. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(5), 616–624. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020584
3.
BeamesS.MackieC.AtencioM. (2019). Adventure and society. Palgrave Macmillan.
4.
BeckA. T.WeissmanA.LesterD.TrexlerL. (1974). The measurement of pessimism: The Hopelessness Scale. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42(6), 861–865. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0037562
5.
BernsteinA. C. (2007). Re-visioning, restructuring, and reconciliation: Clinical practice with complex postdivorce families. Family Process, 46(1), 67–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2006.00192.x
6.
Boyd-FranklinN.BryB. H. (2000). Reaching out in family therapy: Home-based, school and community interventions. Guilford Press.
7.
BrowneD. T.WadeM.MayS. S.JenkinsJ. M.PrimeH. (2021). COVID-19 disruption gets inside the family: A two-month multilevel study of family stress during the pandemic. Developmental Psychology, 57(10), 1681–1692. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001237
8.
CaoY.SiuJ. Y. M.ShekD. T.ShumD. H. (2022). COVID-19 one year on identification of at-risk groups for psychological trauma and poor health-protective behaviour using a telephone survey. BMC Psychiatry, 22(1), 252. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03904-4
9.
CarrA. (2009). The effectiveness of family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 31(1), 3–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6427.2008.00451.x
10.
ChanR. C. (2022). Dyadic associations between COVID-19-related stress and mental well- being among parents and children in Hong Kong: An actor–partner interdependence model approach. Family Process, 61(4), 1730–1748. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12760
11.
ChungJ. O.LiW. H.HoK. Y.LamK. K.CheungA. T.HoL. L.LopezV. (2021). Adventure-based training to enhance resilience and reduce depressive symptoms among juveniles: A randomized controlled trial. Research in Nursing & Health, 44(3), 438–448. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.22127
12.
CohenE.TischR. (2021). The online adaptation and outcomes of a family-based intervention addressing substance use disorders. Research on Social Work Practice, 31(3), 244–253. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731520975860
13.
CooleyS. J.BurnsV. E.CummingJ. (2015). The role of outdoor adventure education in facilitating groupwork in higher education. Higher Education, 69, 567–582. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9791-4
14.
DienerE. D.EmmonsR. A.LarsenR. J.GriffinS. (1985). The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901-13
15.
EdwardsR.GilliesV.GorinS. (2022). Problem-solving for problem-solving: Data analytics to identify families for service intervention. Critical Social Policy, 42(2), 265–284. https://doi.org/10.1177/02610183211020294
16.
EdwardsR.UgwudikeP. (2023). Governing families: Problematising technologies in social welfare and criminal justice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003080343
17.
FeinbergM. E.MogleJ. A.LeeJ. K.TornelloS. L.HostetlerM. L.CifelliJ. A.HotezE. (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parent, child, and family functioning. Family Process, 61(1), 361–374. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12649
GirdenE. R. (1992). ANOVA: Repeated measures. Sage.
20.
GlassJ. S.Dotson-BlakeK. P. (2010). Adventure based counseling and school-based family counseling: Incorporating experiential education into the schools. International Journal for School-Based Family Counseling, 2, 1–16.
21.
GriffithA. K. (2022). Parental burnout and child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Violence, 37(5), 725–731. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-020-00172-2
22.
HopkinsD.PutnamR. (2013). Personal growth through adventure. Routledge.
23.
KluwerE. S.HeesinkJ. A. M.Van de VliertE. (2000). The division of labor in close relationships: An asymmetrical conflict issue. Personal Relationships, 7, 293–282. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2000.tb00016.x
24.
KoltzR. L. (2021). ACE: Three adventure-based activities to improve family communication. The Family Journal, 29(1), 124–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480720964714
25.
LauS. S.HoC. C.PangR. C.SuS.KwokH.FungS. F.HoR. C. (2022). COVID-19 burnout subject to the dynamic zero-COVID policy in Hong Kong: Development and psychometric evaluation of the COVID-19 Burnout Frequency Scale. Sustainability, 14(14), 8235. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148235
LeungJ. T. Y.ShekD. T. L.TangC. M. (2023). Development and validation of the Chinese Family Resilience Scale in families in Hong Kong. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, 1929. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031929
28.
LovibondP. F.LovibondS. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(3), 335–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-U
29.
McCubbinH. I.ThompsonA. I.McCubbinM. A. (1996). Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation: Inventories for research and practice. University of Wisconsin Publishers.
30.
MiaoR.LiuC.ZhangJ.JinH. (2023). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Journal of Affective Disorders, 340, 914–922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.070
NeillJ. T. (2003). Reviewing and benchmarking adventure therapy outcomes: Applications of meta-analysis. Journal of Experiential Education, 25(3), 316–321. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382590302500305
33.
NewesS.BandoroffS. (2004). What is adventure therapy? In BandoroffS.NewesS. (Eds.), Coming of age: The evolving field of adventure therapy (pp. 1–30). Association for Experiential Education.
PriestS.GassM. A. (2005). Effective leadership in adventure programming. Human Kinetics.
36.
PrimeH.WadeM.BrowneD. T. (2020). Risk and resilience in family well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. American Psychologist, 75(5), 631. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000660
37.
PrimeH.WalshF.MastenA. S. (2023). Building family resilience in the wake of a global pandemic: Looking back to prepare for the future. Canadian Psychology, 64(3), 200–211. https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000366
RussellK. C.FarnumJ. (2004). A concurrent model of the wilderness therapy process. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 4(1), 39–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670485200411
40.
SchoelJ.MaizellR. S. (2002). Exploring islands of healing: New perspectives on adventure based counseling. Project Adventure.
41.
SchoelJ.ProutyD.RadcliffeP. (1988). Islands of healing: A guide to adventure-based counseling. Project Adventure.
42.
SchummW. R.Paff-BergenL. A.HatchR. C.ObiorahF. C.CopelandJ. M.MeensL. D.BugaighisM. A. (1986). Concurrent and discriminant validity of the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 48, 381–387. https://doi.org/10.2307/352405
43.
ShekD. T. L. (1992). “Actual-ideal” discrepancies in the representation of self and significant-others and psychological well-being in Chinese adolescents. International Journal of Psychology, 27(3), 229.
44.
ShekD. T. L. (1993). Measurement of pessimism in Chinese adolescents: The Chinese Hopelessness Scale. Social Behavior & Personality, 21(2), 107–119. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.1993.21.2.107
45.
ShekD. T. L. (2002). The relation of parental qualities to psychological well-being, school adjustment and problem behavior in Chinese adolescents with economic disadvantage. American Journal of Family Therapy, 30, 215–230. https://doi.org/10.1080/019261802753577548
46.
ShekD. T. L. (2006). Perceived parent–child relational qualities and parental behavioral and psychological control in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Adolescence, 41(163), 563–582.
47.
ShekD. T. L.LeungJ. T.TanL. (2023). Social policies and theories on quality of life under COVID-19: In search of the missing links. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 18(3), 1149–1165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-023-10147-2
48.
ShekD. T. L.SiuA. M. H.LeeT. Y. (2007). The Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale: A validation study. Research on Social Work Practice, 17, 380–391. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731506296196
49.
ShekD. T. L.TsangS. K. M. (1993). The Chinese version of the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale: Some psychometric and normative data. Social Behavior and Personality, 21, 205–214. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.1993.21.3.205
50.
ShenC.WanA.KwokL. T.PangS.WangX.StewartS. M.LamT. H.ChanS. S. C. (2017). A community-based intervention program to enhance family communication and family well-being: The learning families project in Hong Kong. Frontiers in Public Health, 5, 257. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00257
51.
ShinJ. H. (2009). Application of repeated-measures analysis of variance and hierarchical linear model in nursing research. Nursing Research, 58(3), 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNR.0b013e318199b5ae
52.
StevensJ. P. (2002). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
53.
SwankJ. M.DaireA. P. (2010). Multiple family adventure-based therapy groups: An innovative integration of two approaches. The Family Journal, 18(3), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480710372123
54.
ThorngrenJ. M.KleistD. M. (2002). Multiple family group therapy: An interpersonal/postmodern approach. The Family Journal, 10(2), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480702102006
55.
ThyerB. A. (2010). The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed.). Sage.
56.
ToS. M.CheungJ. C. S.ChanM. Y. A.LauC. D.ZhaoR. L. (2024). Outcomes of a design thinking program on social workers: An evaluation study. Research on Social Work Practice, 34(7), 793–805. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315231203923
57.
TyneW. P.FletcherD.PaineN. J.StevinsonC. (2024). Employees’ experiences of outdoor adventure training on psychological capital and wellbeing: A mixed methods case study. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 46, 100761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2024.100761
58.
UrkenD.LeCroyC. W. (2021). A randomized controlled trial of a self-compassion writing intervention for adults with mental illness. Research on Social Work Practice, 31(3), 254–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731520972779
59.
UsherK.BhullarN.DurkinJ.GyamfiN.JacksonD. (2020). Family violence and COVID-19: Increased vulnerability and reduced options for support. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 29(4), 549. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12735
60.
VyasL.ButakhieoN. (2021). The impact of working from home during COVID-19 on work and life domains: An exploratory study on Hong Kong. Policy Design and Practice, 4(1), 59–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1863560
61.
WalshF. (2015). Strengthening family resilience. Practice principles and guidelines to strengthen family resilience. Guilford Press.
62.
WongD. F. K.LauY. Y.ChanH. S.ZhuangX. (2022). Family functioning under COVID-19: An ecological perspective of family resilience of Hong Kong Chinese families. Child & Family Social Work, 27(4), 838–850. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12934
63.
WuQ.XuY. (2020). Parenting stress and risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A family stress theory-informed perspective. Developmental Child Welfare, 2(3), 180–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103220967937
64.
ZhouJ.LiuL.XueP.YangX.TangX. (2020). Mental health response to the COVID-19 outbreak in China. American Journal of Psychiatry, 177(7), 574–575. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20030304
65.
ZhuangX.LauY. Y.ChanW. M. H.LeeB. S. C.WongD. F. K. (2021). Risk and resilience of vulnerable families in Hong Kong under the impact of COVID-19: An ecological resilience perspective. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 56(12), 2311–2322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-021-02117-6
