The Impact of Surf Therapy on Risk-Taking and Interpersonal Closeness Among Violence-Exposed Youth

Objective:   The impacts of the sport-based, psycho-social intervention, surf therapy, have thus far yielded promising results based on self-reported and qualitative assessments. The purpose of this study is to use a multi-method evaluation to investigate the effects of Waves for Change’s surf therapy program for at-risk youth according to the primary intervention aims.   Method:   Two-hundred thirty-three violence-exposed youth from South Africa participated in a multi-method program evaluation of Waves for Change’s surf therapy program. Participants who were either enrolled in surf therapy or in the waitlist comparison group completed self-report assessments of perceived stress, sensation-seeking, and interpersonal closeness, as well as behavioral measures of risk-taking and self-esteem. Data were collected at two time points, six months apart.   Findings:   Participation in surf therapy among participants, each of whom endorsed exposure to violence, led to significant reductions in risk-taking behaviors and sensation seeking. Data also suggests that Waves for Change’s surf-therapy increased participants’ sense of interpersonal closeness. There were no significant changes observed in participant stress or self-esteem, which were both assessed with measures that yielded low internal consistency.    Conclusion:   Findings suggest that Waves for Change’s surf therapy program is an efficacious, trauma-informed intervention for violence-exposed youth. The intervention has been found to strengthen interpersonal connectivity and reduce impulsivity.