Positive Youth Development at Camps for Youth with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Mya Deboer Sendak,Samuel Brotkin,Clarissa Schilstra,Eitan Tye,Gary Maslow

doi:10.5195/jyd.2018.551

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically review all the literature on camps for youth with childhood onset chronic illness (COCI) utilizing the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework to assess camp processes and psychosocial outcomes. This paper describes a unique dataset of 425 included studies published over the last 70 years and gives a broad overview of camp demographics, processes that align with PYD’s Big 3 (sustained adult-youth relationships, skill-building, and youth leadership) and measured outcomes that align with the PYD’s 5 Cs (Competence, Confidence, Character, Social Connectedness, and Compassion). Among the included studies, 36% included diabetes camps, 15% included camps accepting multiple illnesses, 12% included cancer camps, and 11% included asthma camps. The majority of participants were under the age of 16. While no study explicitly used the PYD approach, over 90% of studies described camps that deployed both active leadership and sustained positive relationships, while only 59% of studies described camps providing the opportunity to learn life skills. Although no study utilized the PYD 5 Cs framework for outcome measurement, 47% addressed outcomes related to Competence, 44% addressed Confidence, 33% addressed Connection, 4% addressed Compassion, and 2% addressed Character. This review highlights opportunities for camp leadership to align their programming with the PYD framework, to incorporate older adolescents and young adults and, ultimately, to improve positive adult outcomes for youth with COCI. It provides a starting point for future research evaluating illness-specific camps using a PYD approach.

Highlights

History of CampsOrganized camping programs for youth in the United States began in the late 1800s, with camps that aimed to engage children in outdoor recreational activities
The first physical illness-specific camps were offering opportunities for often isolated youth with physical childhood onset chronic illnesses (COCI) or disabilities to engage in social activities in non-medical environments, while still receiving adequate medical supervision (Ramsing, 2007)
Of the 425 studies reviewed, 36% included diabetes camps, 15% included camps with participants having a variety of illnesses, 12% included cancer camps, and 11% included asthma camps

Summary

Introduction

Organized camping programs for youth in the United States began in the late 1800s, with camps that aimed to engage children in outdoor recreational activities. The first physical illness-specific camps were offering opportunities for often isolated youth with physical childhood onset chronic illnesses (COCI) or disabilities to engage in social activities in non-medical environments, while still receiving adequate medical supervision (Ramsing, 2007). The medical professionals and advocates who founded these camps implemented intuitive programming based on common practice with the broad goal of improving the lives of children with COCI (McAuliffe-Fogarty, Ramsing, & Hill, 2007). Over the 20th century, as medical and technological advancements increased the life span of children with various diseases, the number and types of illness-specific camps has expanded proportionally. The spread and success of these camps is a testament to their value; studying measurable outcomes to characterize that value continues to challenge the field

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