Rites of passage were historically an integral and formal part of a young person s journey toward adulthood and thus, were a major component in the development of self-esteem. This thesis considers adolescent rites of passage as an archetypal need. The author explores how modern manifestations of these ancient rites lack mentorship and reincorporation into the community. Twenty-eight youths working as crewmembers for the Youth Corps of Southern Arizona (YCOSA) were surveyed pre and post-course to measure differences in self-esteem during an eight week wilderness program. Quantitative data...
Rites of passage were historically an integral and formal part of a young person s journey toward adulthood and thus, were a major component in the de...
