Benefits of disease-specific summer camps: Results from quantitative and qualitative studies at Roundup River Ranch

The potential benefits of camps for children and adolescents with celiac disease on social support, illness acceptance, and health-related quality of life

“…Participation in celiac camps was related to having more friends with CD and to higher levels of perceived social support. These results are also consistent with research demonstrating that peer relationships and support are among the positive outcomes of illness-related camps (Bongiovanni et al, 2010; Meltzer et al, 2018). In fact, improving social support constitutes a core objective of interveners in the field, who design camps accordingly (Faith et al, 2019).…”

Health Acceptance through Camp : Mixed-Method Data from a Central-European Therapeutic Recreational Based Camp for Seriously Ill Children

“…Feeling socially connected and having a sense of belonging are therefore important constructs of wellbeing (Jenkins et al 1990) and crucial for rehabilitation programs to provide opportunities for youth with serious medical illnesses in order for them to practice and develop social skills, as this may promote positive functioning in relationships, as well as positive psychosocial and physical quality of life (Tominey et al 2015). A broad number of studies confirmed the benefits of the camp in the social dimensions, and can be even considered as a special and complex context of socialization for youth from a very diverse backgrounds -also for youth living with serious illness (Allsop et al 2013;Bialeschki et al 2007;Browne et al 2019;Bultas et al 2016;Gillard & Watts 2013;Kiernan et al 2004;Meltzer et al 2018). Quality social interactions are important contributors in the camp to better health acceptance, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.…”

“…Those who did not report specifically low self-esteem or limitation expressed rather a notion of growth in psychosocial areas. A growing number of qualitative research aims to phenomenologically grasp the camp experience as well, and the benefits of the camp on various psychosocial domains are more elaborated (Evangeli et al 2019;Gillard & Allsop 2016;Lut et al 2017;Meltzer et al 2018). Laing and Moules (2014) described a similar healing experience through strong supportive and accepting social connections.…”

“…Apart from constant and invisible medical, dietary, and nursing supervision, a group of specifically trained camp staff provides the TR-based programs. The psychosocial benefits of TR camps' have been proven in a variety of areas, like increased hope and a positive outlook regarding their future (Rea et al 2019), or significant positive changes regarding self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-perception (Békési et al 2011;Kiernan et al 2004;Kiernan & Maclachlan 2002;Meltzer et al 2018;Török et al 2006), and building valuable social connections is also widely confirmed (Allsop et al 2013;Kearney 2009;Kearney 2018;Moola et al 2014). Less is known about these camps' long-term impact.…”

Krónikus beteg gyermeket nevelő családok pszichoszociális intervenciójáról – terápiás rekreációs táborok

“…Kutatások szerint a rehabilitációs célú táborozás segít a gyerekeknek a társas kapcsolataik, az önértékelésük, megküzdési képességeik és hangulatuk javításában [47][48][49], az életminőségük javulásában [50], pozitív érzelmek és társas kapcsolatok javulásában [51], valamint a remény és a jövőbeli célok megfogalmazása képességének fejlesztésében [52]. Hazai kutatások is megerősítették a terápiás rekreáció hatékonyságát daganatos, cukorbeteg és juvenilis idiopathiás arthritises (JIA) gyerekek és serdülők körében [53,54].…”