11th ASEAN Council of Physical Education and Sport (ACPES) International Conference 2025

The purpose of this study was to determine how the implementation of outdoor education affects mental health. Mental health of students has become a major concern in the last decade, especially related to stress and depression that can affect student activities in the college environment. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of adventure-based outdoor education in reducing student stress. The method used in this study was an experiment with a two-group pretest-posttest design, this study involved 30 students (15 sports students and 15 non-sports students) who were selected randomly. The research instrument used the validated Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) questionnaire. The results showed that involvement in outdoor activities (outdoor education) can reduce stress levels. Based on the results of data analysis, the significance value was 0.019 which indicated a significant effect of outdoor education on student stress levels. The conclusion of this study is that there is a significant effect of outdoor education on student stress levels. Outdoor education can be used as a media or tool to reduce student stress levels.

Mental health problems like depression and sedentary behavior are increasing, especially among university students. This research and development study aimed to create and develop recreational programs to promote student happiness. The research was conducted in three phases. The sample group in the first phase consisted of 400 students from Rajamangala University of Technology, Lower Central Higher Education Network Group, Thailand, and the sample group in 2-3 phases consisted of 19 experts. The research tools used include a questionnaire and in-depth interview guidelines. Phase 1 revealed that the preferred activities among students were, e.g., outdoor/nature activities (mean = 3.13), special activities during festivals (mean = 3.11), and social activities (mean = 3.10). Phase 2 developed a recreational program that included eight activities based on student needs: 1. Separation activity...tell them to identify 2. Self-reflection activity...in the shadows of the past 3. Running activity...don't roll and fall backwards. 4. Volunteer activity for artificial coral conservation 5. Tie-dye activity...tie and dye 6. Karaoke Singing Contest activity 7. Beautiful garden arrangement in glass bottles activity and 8. Tea Tree Ranger parade activity. These programs are offered in three formats: a full-time format (eight weeks, once a week), a condensed format (four weeks, twice a week), and the interest format, which is to choose 1-2 activities according to the sub-components of happiness. A 42-item happiness assessment tool was also developed to fit the context of those students. The findings of Phase 3 were that the recreational program was feasible and suitable for implementation

Transportation plays a crucial role in facilitating students’ engagement in outdoor recreation, particularly for those enrolled in recreation-based academic programs. This study examines the role of the bus travel system in enhancing access to outdoor recreation among Outdoor Recreation students in the Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam. A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire distributed to 120 students, with data analyzed through descriptive statistics and inferential tests. Findings revealed that the availability, reliability, and affordability of the bus system significantly influence students’ participation in outdoor activities, with accessibility identified as the strongest contributing factor. The study highlights the importance of efficient transportation in ensuring equitable opportunities for experiential learning and recreational engagement. Recommendations include strengthening the scheduling, frequency, and management of the bus system to better support students’ academic and recreational needs. This research contributes to the discourse on mobility and recreation accessibility in higher education, offering practical insights for policy makers and university administrators.