The Groundswell Community Surf Therapy Intervention for At-Risk Women and Changes in Body Acceptance, Resilience, and Emotional Regulation

Abstract

Background: Surf therapy combines physical activity with social support to provide a healing environment. Objective: This exploratory pre-to post-intervention study examined the effects of a novel surf therapy program for women who experienced abuse, trauma, and/or mental illness on emotional regulation, resilience, body acceptance, and gratitude. Methods: Twenty-seven women (ages 25 to 54; mean 36.32 + SD 7.79) participated in an 8-week Groundswell Surf Therapy Program held in four different coastal cities in California. Standardized self-report questionnaires were administered prior to and following the therapy program, including the Body Acceptance Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Affective Style Questionnaire, and the Gratitude Questionnaire-Six-Item Form (GQ-6) in a pre-post study design. Data were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Body acceptance [P < 0.001; partial Eta squared = 0.472] and resilience were increased [P = 0.005; partial Eta squared = 0.319] following the surf therapy intervention. Emotional regulation was examined according to three subscales, with the adjust [P < 0.001; partial Eta squared = 0.397] and tolerate [P < 0.001; partial Eta squared = 0.299] subscales increasing following the intervention, and the conceal subscale [P = 0.459; partial Eta squared = 0.031] remaining unchanged. Gratitude scores were unchanged [P = 0.425; partial Eta squared = 0.026]. Conclusion: A surf therapy program rooted in somatic and trauma-informed models was associated with improved resilience, emotional regulation, and body acceptance in at-risk women.