Camp‐based psychosocial intervention dosage and changes in independence in young people with spina bifida

Abstract

Aim To examine associations between camp‐based intervention dosage and changes in independence‐related skills for young people with spina bifida. Method Participants were 110 individuals (mean age [SD] 14y 7mo [6y 1mo], range 6–32y; 66 females, 54 males) who attended a summer camp for individuals with spina bifida between 2 to 6 times (mean 2.40; operationalized as ‘dosage’). Parents of young campers (e.g. those <18y) also participated in data collection. Campers and/or parents completed preintervention measures assessing campers’ level of medical responsibility, mastery over medical tasks, and social skills. Outcomes included change in preintervention scores from dose 1 to final dose. Results Hierarchical regression analyses with and without covariates (age, IQ, and lesion level at dose 1) revealed that increased dosage was significantly associated with greater parent‐reported improvements in campers’ medical responsibility and mastery over medical tasks. Increased dosage was also significantly associated with camper‐report of increased medical responsibility, but this relationship was no longer significant when including covariates. Intervention dosage was not associated with changes in campers’ social skills. Interpretation Repeated participation in a camp‐based intervention was associated with improvements in condition‐related independence. Future work may focus on the development of interventions to promote improvements in social skills for young people with spina bifida. What this paper adds Participating in an intervention over multiple summers is associated with increases in campers’ responsibility for spina bifida‐related tasks. Repeated summer camp intervention participation is associated with improved mastery over condition‐related tasks for campers with spina bifida. Repeated camp intervention participation is not associated with changes in social skills for campers with spina bifida.

Exploring an Existing Weight Management App for Use With Adolescents and Young Adults With Spina Bifida: Usability Study

“…However, the findings should be considered in light of specific limitations. First, the sample was recruited from the YMCA-sponsored Camp Independence [24-26]. The sample consisted of a wide age range of AYA-SBs who have the support and ability to attend a sleep-away summer camp session and who were also primarily non-Hispanic whites.…”

“…Camp Independence is located in Illinois (USA) and is a sleep-away camp designed for AYA-SBs. Programming includes (1) a 1-week stay with similarly aged campers, (2) typical camp-based activities (eg, swimming) with accommodations for camper needs, and (3) camp-based interventions to promote medical and social independence [24-26]. Participants were eligible for study inclusion if they (1) had SB, (2) were aged between 13 and 30 years, (3) attended Camp Independence during the summer of 2018, (4) had previously used a mobile app independently, and (5) could read and write in English.…”

“…Participants were asked to report the following information: age, sex, race/ethnicity, and SB characteristics, including type, shunt status, and lesion level. Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) was measured and collected for those who also participated in another camp-based study [24-26].…”

Ensuring long‐term benefits of camp for children with chronic illnesses?

“…Camps for children and young people living with chronic illnesses might provide a way to address these issues, as they offer opportunities for peer acceptance, mastery of skills, social inclusion, and a sense of ownership . Driscoll et al's study, with its rigorous longitudinal, research design, adds to the evidence base. It actively engages in the current debate on the effectiveness of camps through the development of a robust intervention aimed at addressing social skill and independence deficits for young people with spina bifida.…”

“…Since residential camps are usually offered once a year, they may not provide consistent opportunities for young people to fully benefit from the long‐term health impact. By providing robust, longitudinal evidence that camp dosage is associated with enhanced outcomes on certain health indicators (medical independence), Driscoll et al are answering the perplexing question on how to ensure the long‐term impact of camp. Therefore, spina bifida clinics and advocacy groups might better encourage repeated participation at camp over several years, in addition to year‐round camp activities.…”