Effects of wilderness-based programming and facilitated reflection on social self-efficacy among college students in freshman orientation

This study examined the effectiveness of four college orientation programs on social self-efficacy beliefs among 158 college students. It was hypothesized that an outdoor orientation would increase social self-efficacy more than an on-campus orientation, and that an orientation with facilitated reflection would increase social selfefficacy more than a traditional orientation. Students chose between an on-campus and a wilderness-based orientation. Then, the students were randomly selected into a control or treatment group within both the on-campus and wilderness orientations. Outdoor orientations involved multiple days of a specific adventure activity (i.e., rock climbing, rafting, kayaking, mountaineering) located away from the college campus. These wilderness settings provide an environment that pushes students into social interactions, which can positively increase social self-efficacy. On the other hand, on-campus orientations involved speeches, skits, group initiatives, academic advising, and other activities located on the college campus. The treatment for both wilderness based and on-campus orientations consisted of the same daily activities as the control group; however, at the end of the second day the treatment groups participated in facilitated reflective provided by the orientation staff. This allowed students to learn from each other and see other student's perspectives, which can increase social self-efficacy. Students in all four orientations increased their social self-efficacy scores; however, significant differences between orientations types were not found. Although the two hypotheses were not supported, both on-campus and wilderness orientations were found to increase social self-efficacy.