Perceived Health Quality of Life and Wel-Being Outcomes through Participation in an Adapted Fishing Intervention

A pilot study was conducted to explore the impact that participating in a single session of adapted fishing (AF) would have on self-perceived health-quality of life (HQOL) and well-being among clients, volunteers, and family/caregivers living with physical disabilities, mental health conditions, and/or substance use disorders. The study included 10 adults aged 26–72 years (M = 39, SD = 14.6). Using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief-26 (WHOQOL-BREF-26) and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), pre- and post-session scores were compared through Wilcoxon Signed Ranks testing, and qualitative feedback surveys were thematically analyzed. Data were collected in summer 2022. It was predicted that self-perceived HQOL and well-being would improve following participation, and results suggested positive changes for most participants, with notable improvements across physical, psychological, and environmental domains. These findings offered promising implications for AF, outdoor recreation, and the ecological approach to therapeutic recreation.