Adventure therapy is an innovative approach that combines outdoor activities and psychological principles to foster personal development and address various mental health issues. This therapy modality is particularly effective in helping individuals, especially adolescents, overcome adverse childhood experiences and build resilience.
Rucker, M. (2023, December 6). The role of adventure in personal growth. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-of-fun/202312/the-role-of-adventure-in-personal-growthLinks to an external site.
Thurber , J. (2023). The secret life of walter mitty. enotes.com. https://www.enotes.com/topics/secret-life/themes/success-and-failureLinks to an external site.
Anna Katharina Schaffner, Ph. D. (2024, December 17). How to overcome fear of failure: Your ultimate guide. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/fear-of-failure/Links to an external site.
Three Popular Sources
WA 2: Annotated Bibliography
Thompson, T. W. (2008). “He Sprang to the Machine”: “The Secret [Technological] Life of Walter Mitty.” South Carolina Review, 41(1), 110–115.
Analysis: This research study will be extremely helpful for my own research because it explicitly includes details from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. These articles contain details I did not initially see, as well as ties them to other psychological problems other than the fear of failure. Author Professor Thompson also highlights the danger if detaching ones self from reality, which is known as depersonalization. A large portion of my own research will cover that, and I hope to use his research to further instate my ideas on the fear of failure.
Summary: Terry W. Thompson, esteemed professor and author of an article titled “'He Sprang to
the Machine': 'The Secret [Technological] Life of Walter Mitty,'” has conducted and composed thirteen research studies and articles for the South Carolina Review, founded through Clemson University in South Carolina. The review was founded in 1968 as
Furman Studies, edited by Professor Al Reid. Mr. Thompsons article addressing the world of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty dives into the hidden meaning behind the popular film, uncovering its psychological factors including the fear of failure. His writing dives into the 'why' behind Walter Mitty's daydreaming, including the dangers of only being brave in ones dreams.
Quotes: "And in those
larger-than-life visions, he imagines himself as the supremely confident master of all the cutting-
edge technology that surrounds him wherever he goes" "In the Technicolor land of his imagin-
ings, however, Walter Mitty fears nothing, and even the loveliest women do not intimidate him;
for there is steel in his spine and authority in his voice."
Glass, J. S., & Myers, J. E. (2001). Combining the Old and the New To Help Adolescents: Individual Psychology and Adventure-based Counseling (Vol. 23, Issue 2, pp. 104–114).
Analysis: These articles will be extremely helpful to me because they cover an experiment run by Scott J. Glass and Jane E. Myers. The experiment includes observing the outcomes of placing children in adventure therapy, as well as how it works. This is the only source I have that provides this much detail on how adventure therapy works. I plan on utilizing this research to further my understanding of adventure therapy. I also will use it to tie into dear of failure, and how people need to engage in adventure to overcome their fears.
Summary: Scott J. Glass and Jane E. Myers, highly praised authors of an article titled Combining
the Old and the New To Help Adolescents: Individual Psychology and Adventure-based Counseling, have each contributed to the creation of countless articles and research studies for the Journal of Mental Health Counseling. The Journal first started releasing
articles in the year 2000. Published in 2001, this eleven-page peer-reviewed article contains information regarding adventure-based counseling and group-oriented programs that help participants learn to share responsibility, develop cooperative problem-solving skills, and increase self-confidence and well-being. It highlights the importance of adventure and how it can directly affect our overall emotional health.
Quotes: "Outdoor structured activities such as challenge courses are often utilized as interventions for youth coming form urban settings and have come to be known as Adventure-Based Counseling." "It incorporates behavioral, cognitive, and affective components in an integrated process of events intended to promote positive change."
Kendra Cherry, Mse. (2023, December 7). How to deal with the fear of failure. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fear-of-failure-5176202Links to an external site.
Analysis: I believe these articles will provide me with all the facts and research I need regarding Atychiphobia, or the fear of failure. Kendra Cherry dives into how fear of failure is instilled in a person, as well as how to overcome it. The articles also contain clues or red flags that could be hinting that someone is dealing with a deep fear of failure, so you can better identify it. After studying these articles I will have the background information necessary to draw my own conclusions for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
Summary: Author Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."She wrote an article titled How to Deal With the Fear of Failure, diving into the psychology behind the mental blockades we struggle to overcome. Her article discusses Atychiphobia, or the fear of failure, is an irrational fear that can stem from perfectionism, critical upbringings, or past traumatic experiences. It can cause emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms, leading to procrastination, self-sabotage, and low motivation, which can hinder personal and professional success. Treatment options include psychotherapy, medications, and coping strategies like redefining failure and focusing on controllable aspects to help manage the fear and its impact.
Quotes: "In addition to emotional and behavioral symptoms, people with a fear of failure may also experience physical symptoms including rapid heart rate, chest tightness, trembling, dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, and digestive problems." "In some cases, the fear of failure may cause people to avoid trying altogether. Because they are so afraid that they will try and not succeed, they simply decide not to try at all in order to prevent potential pain, embarrassment, or disappointment."
Bellegarde, N., Chintakunta, S. V., Christian, D. D., & Pemu, M.-M. (2024). Adventure therapy to mitigate the harmful effects of aces with lower-ses adolescents. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2024.2415939Links to an external site.
Analysis: My research will cover Adventure therapy as well as the fear of failure. I believe that adventure can help people to overcome the fear of failure. I plan on using this source as a way to provide facts to support my hypothesis. The articles cover the positive outcomes of adventure therapy, as well as the details of how it works. I hope to make a case for adventure therapy, as I believe it can helpful for most.
Summary: Many authors and psychologists dedicated their time to creating a set of articles titled,
Adventure therapy to mitigate the harmful effects of aces with lower-ses adolescents. These articles were officially released to the public via the Journal of Creativity and Mental Health, as of October 16th, 2024. This is an esteemed academic journal founded in Great Britain and published by “United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.” The articles dive into topics such as anxiety, drug use, depression, well-being, child adversity, and the psychology of adventure-based counseling. This paper explores the use of adventure therapy as a primary, secondary, and tertiary intervention strategy to offset and/or prevent negative effects experienced by today’s teenagers.
Quotes: "Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have gained prominence in
recent literature for their effects on the well-being of children." "Adventure therapy (AT) is a group-based treatment modality that uses creative inter-
ventions, often conducted in natural or outdoor settings to improve communication,
bolster self-efficacy, and challenge participants to engage in self-reflection and personal
growth". "AT provides an opportunity for adolescents to
change familiar yet limiting coping patterns through risk-taking and problem-solving
activities that create disequilibrium in participants"
Spence, J. C. (1975). Personal View. British Medical Journal, 1(5954), 390. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.5954.390Links to an external site.
Analysis: I hope this article will clarify the dangers of fear of failure, and the psychology behind it. These articles are very specific to my research, and I aim to use them to back up my own claims regarding adventure, risk-taking, and fear. Spence also dives into the science behind depersonalization, which is what I believe Walter Mitty dealt with throughout the movie.I also believe that my incorporating detail and fact from this research, my own conclusions will appear more well informed.
Summary: J.C Spence is a British professor and author of an academic article titled Personal View.
This article was published in the British Medical Journal, which began its publication in 1975. This complex writing comments on the general practice of the National Health Service in Great Britain. It discusses the detachment of oneself from a company, the establishment of a doctor-patient relationship, and the psychology behind the failure of experiments. J.C Spence is also a contributing author to over ten more articles, each discussing the outcomes of several social experiments including how our brains process
fear, as well as several other topics on psychology. Spence's experiment, named Personal View, covers the psychology behind risk and adventure, as well as experiencing life through daydreams. Spence also places great emphases on the phenomenon of depersonalization, which is the act of detaching from oneself and the company one is in. This action could be used to describe what Walter Mitty was doing when we became lost in his frequent daydreams.
Quotes: "Like so many failures, it seemed a good idea at the time" "There is an interesting phenomenon known as "depersonalization." So far I can understand it consists of a feeling detached from oneself and the company one is in."
