Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’

Post by pablobaz » Thu, Nov 10, 2016, 9:54 PM UTC

takingflac wrote: post #129

pablobaz wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a former scout leader, I think there is also another effect at play. In my experience parents often send children to scouts when they don't fit into more mainstream team sports and when children are struggling to make friends elsewhere. These children are often particularly socially awkward. I'm not an expert but I think that this group of children may be more predisposed to mental illness.

Just curious, what was the size of the city/town that this scout troop was in?

Post by nommm-nommm » Thu, Nov 10, 2016, 10:46 PM UTC

udfalkso wrote: post #39

Spearchucker wrote: post #5

I was a boy scout in the late '70s and early '80s. Loved it, and although I was too young to care at the time, my son will probably not join because religion. Yes, they have a "non-religious promise" now, but you're still subjected to it. I don't care for it, and my son will (like I did) get to choose for himself but (unlike me) without being forcibly subjected to the propaganda. All that said, scouting has changed s…

My father and I went to cub scouts when I was younger. Very quickly in the first session the religious focus arose and my dad said, "Ok, we're outta here." (We are jewish/atheist) It's a shame to make something like this religious because I think I would have really enjoyed everything else about the scouts. I'd do the same with my children in the future if the tone is the same.

Post by lonewolf_ninja » Thu, Nov 10, 2016, 10:52 PM UTC

Artoemius wrote: post #3

It might be one of the cases where correlation doesn't imply causation. For an objective study, we would need to assign children to groups randomly. Otherwise, we can miss various obscure selection effects. (For example, if children who are more likely to be scouts, are also likely to be from a particular socioeconomic background).

Post by theoh » Thu, Nov 10, 2016, 11:29 PM UTC

moyta wrote: post #56

redcalx wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a selection bias issue here. E.g. if there were some underling genetic disorder that causes anxiety, then that person is less likely to join a group.

Eh, I would say most new scouts are pretty anxious, and they also potentially come with other issues like asthma that likes to flare up, seizures, diabetes, etc. having had to deal with patrol members with these issues, sometimes 2 having one of these issues at the same time out of a group of 6 or 7. Generally you deal with it as quickly & safely as possible, get the rest of your patrol to rally and do what is needed…

Post by kafkaesq » Fri, Nov 11, 2016, 12:39 AM UTC

chiph wrote: post #109

toomanybeersies wrote: post #4

I was in scouts and cadets here in New Zealand when I was a teenager and continue to spend a fair amount of time in the outdoors (I also did Outward Bound when I was 16), and I can definitely relate to the researcher's findings. When you're 2 days walk from civilisation, it's pissing down with rain, and you're cold, wet, hungry, and tired, you get a different perspective on life and the "soft" challenges that you fac…

> I've never served in the military, but from the people I know that have, they pretty much learn to take the same attitude. The phrase used in the US military for this is "Embrace the suck". Which means "The situation is bad, but deal with it."