Abstract of Survey of Female Camp Counselors: Physical Self-Perception, Adolescent Profile & Self-Efficacy

Ellen B. Buckner, RN, DNS
University of Alabama School of Nursing, Birmingham, AL

PUBLISHED ARTICLES

Alaniz K.L. & Norstrand J. (1999). Camp Superteens: An asthma education program for adolescents. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 24 (3), 133-7.

Camp Superteens is a six-hour program conducted in a large shopping mall geared to adolescents ages 13-16. The program was designed to educate youth with asthma about self-management. This article discussed a pilot study used to determine the success of this program in improving self-efficacy.

Aroian, J. F., & Rauckhorst, L. (1998). Children and adolescent’s use of summer camp health facilities: A longitudinal study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 13 (4).

This study provided insight about the scope of practice for nurses in camp settings. Specifically, the research examined camper motivation for seeking health care related to accident/injury, communicable diseases, discomfort problems and psychological concerns. The authors compared trends based on age and gender. This article was source of ideas for improving camp practice and suggested avenues for future research.

Beder J. (2000). Training oncology camp volunteers: A developmental and strengths approach. Cancer Practice: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Cancer Care, 8 (3), 129-34.

This article focused on the importance of training oncology camp volunteers to create a positive camp experience. The author used a developmental and strengths perspective upon which to base orientation of volunteers. The study revealed the importance of specific training for volunteers and staff at specialty camps. While the author wrote specific to oncology camps, the information could also be used to understand the importance of training staff at any specialty camp.

Bergman, M.M. & Hanson C.S. (2000). The relationship between participation in a sports camp and students’ attitudes towards persons with disabilities. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 12 (4), 51-63.

This study measured the impact of a summer camp for disabled children on the attitudes of volunteers toward the disabled population. Subjects included 54 university students enrolled in various health care majors. Both a control group and an experimental group were given the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons scale (ATDP) before, immediately following, and six weeks after the camp session. Results add to the continuing efforts of researchers to find ways that positively affect persons’ attitudes toward the disabled population.

Bernier, M.J., Brooks, E.G., Meng, A. & Tiernan, K. (1998). Lessons from an evaluation of the effectiveness of an asthma day camp. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 23 (6), 300-6.

This is a descriptive pilot study used a group of thirty-four children with asthma to evaluate the teaching methods used in a camp setting. The authors used a pretest and post-test to determine the impact of the teaching about asthma self-management at a summer camp. Study results identified effective teaching strategies that improved skills and management of children with asthma.

Biggs, K.S., Heinrich, J.J., Jekel, J. F., & Cuono, C. B. (1997). The burn camp experience: Variables that influence the enhancement of self-esteem. Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation, 18, 93-8.

This particular study used the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to determine the effect of summer camp on the self-esteem of children with burn injuries. Peer interaction during burn camps was believed to have a positive effect on camper’s psychosocial readjustment which, in turn, may increase self-esteem. The findings of this study were interesting for the perspective they take on the current hypothesis on enhancing self-esteem.

Bloch, J.R. (2001). Camp Nursing: Can children with asthma safely attend a regular outdoor day camp. Pediatric Nursing, 27(5), 463-468.

A retrospective descriptive study design was used to look at the safety of children with asthma attending a non-specialty day camp. The study was conducted at a camp in the Pine Barrens of South New Jersey that had registered nurses on duty each day during the camp setting. The study revealed the prevalence of children with asthma in a camp setting, the type of nursing support needed, and the health outcomes of children with asthma attending this particular camp.

Busch, K. & Lisher, K. (1994). Safe delivery of medications to children in summer camps. Pediatric Nursing, 20, 249-253.

This study dealt with medication distribution to children in a summer camp setting. The authors used a survey to study the qualifications of staff, types of medications given, and problems in medication delivery. Results indicated the importance of advocating for the use of nurses and nurse practitioners in a camp setting.

Chiang, L., Huang, J., & Lu, C. (1999). A study of predisposing factors and self-management behaviors of school-age children with asthma and the impact of summer asthma camp. [Chinese]. Nursing Research (China),7(4), 307-20.

This particular article described research conducted in China on the impact of asthma summer camp on the development of children’s knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy. Results indicated that summer camp had an immediate, positive effect on knowledge and self-efficacy, but not on attitude. This article was interesting because it also probed the cross-cultural aspect of doing camp nursing research.

Clark, M.J. (1995). Using a public health nursing model to assess and plan for health needs at a summer day camp. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 12 (4), 199-210.

The epidemiologic prevention process model (EPPM) designed by Clark assesses the health needs, planning, implementation and evaluation of health care services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention. The model can be used to guide practice and research in a variety of camp situations.

Kellogg, J.S. & Wiens, B.A. (2000). Implementation of a therapy group at a camp in southern Illinois for children with burn injuries. Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation, 21 (3), 281-7.

This article discussed the importance of implementing group therapy in a camp for children who have experienced burn injuries. Therapy groups were used in this particular camp to address the psychological and social difficulties experienced by pediatric burn victims. Possible future interventions by mental health and nursing professionals were presented in the results.

Morgan, M. (2001). Boning up on bones. [on-line]. Available: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1671.52478.

This article explored combining a summer camp with a research project. Adolescent boys at Camp Calcium enjoyed all the regular activities of summer camp while participating in a research study. The study looked at the relationship between bone growth and calcium intake. The unique arrangement provided researchers with needed subjects and allowed the enrolled participants to have fun, earn money, and gain knowledge about health issues.

Morse, J.M., Penrod, J. & Wilson, S. (2000). Mothers and their disabled children: Refining the concept of normalization. Health Care for Women International, 21 (8): 659-79.

This research focused on the perception of normal as defined by disabled children and their family members. The population consisted of 17 children who required home care and were ventilator dependent. A camp setting was used to gain data on the children’s participation and interaction with others. Before and after camp, the primary caregivers were interviewed about their perspective of the children’s home life. This was a unique article in that it reviewedthe impact of camp and the concept of normalization in specialty populations.

Polychronakos, C., Sigman, T., & Wolanski, R. (1996). Assessment of blood glucose self-monitoring skills in a camp for diabetic children: The effects of individualized feedback counseling. Patient Education and Counseling, 29, 5-11.

This article demonstrated the use of camp settings as a natural environment for conducting research. Children were able to react more naturally. The study focused on the accuracy and precision of blood glucose self-monitoring by children and adolescents. It also addressed the mistakes made in self-monitoring and how to educate children. It is recommended as a reference for individuals working with campers who have diabetes no matter what the camp’s program emphasis.

Sawin, K. J., Lannon, S. L., & Austin, J. K. (2001). Camp experience and attitudes toward epilepsy: A pilot study. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 33 (1), 57-64.

This described a pilot study designed to measure the influence of a camp designed for children with epilepsy on the camper’s development of a more positive attitude towards their condition. The study looked closely at the assumption that a camp designed for campers with a specific chronic illness will help campers develop a more positive attitude towards their illness.

Thurber, C.A. & Weisz, J.R. (1998). You can try or you can give up: the impact of perceived control and coping style on childhood homesickness. Developmental Psychology, 33 (3). Available online: www.apa.org/release/homesick.htm.

The authors compiled data from 1,032 eight to16 year old boys and girls about coping with homesickness while the campers attended a two-week summer camp. The results discussed the methods reported by the children that were useful in helping them deal with homesickness and identified trends found in the participants. Both parents and camp leadership staff would find this study useful in identifying strategies for decreasing the potential for and dealing with homesickness.

DISSERTATIONS AND THESES

McGarity, T.G. (1998). Evaluation of an educational intervention for children with asthma at a summer day camp. Unpublished masters thesis, University of Texas, Graduate School of Biomedical Science at Galveston.

The study used a questionnaire filled out by parents before camp, the last day of camp, and one year later to determine if a special curriculum and activities geared toward children with asthma who attended a summer camp would influence asthma knowledge and self-efficacy in children.