Outdoor adventures with youth: building confidence and interpersonal skills

This study investigated the impact of hiking on the self-confidence and interpersonal skills of 24 students ages 8-17 years of age. The primary research question was: "In what ways might hiking improve a student's self-confidence and interpersonal skills?" A related question asked: "In what ways might hiking impact gender differently?" Hiking provides a venue for building interpersonal skills; many . of the students who participated did not know each other at the onset of the hike were able to build bonds. Results indicated that hiking is an activity where students, regardless of gender, perceive themselves as successful