Through an intensive 19 day outdoor experience of backpacking, hiking, rock climbing, and white water canoeing, the Connecticut Wilderness School has provided a novel therapeutic approach for problem youth referred by a wide variety of state agencies. To determine if participants in this program become more internally oriented, develop a higher level of self confidence, utilize more effective interpersonal coping strategies, and have fewer legal and social difficulties, this empirical investigation studied 135 teenagers (95 males, 40 females), aged 13 to 20, enrolled in the wilderness program and a similar comparison group of teenagers. Referring agencies rated the teenagers on dimensions of problem seriousness, self-awareness, emotional problems, and legal involvement. Demographic and personality pretest measures were collected. A random sub-sample of 72 students was also given a structured interview, assessing coping strategies in problematic interpersonal situations. A multi source follow-up of these students is currently underway. With approximately one half of the follow-up data collected, the following preliminary results have been obtained. Program participants remained more internally oriented 6 months after the course and reported a significantly lower overall frequency of deviant behavior than the comparison group. The teenagers reported positive changes in meeting challenges, self confidence, getting along with parents, grades in school, and controlling temper. (NEC)