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Evaluating Summer Camps 1979:
Problems of Measuring Behavior Change in
Children
Gerrard, J., & Heins, T.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry,
15.2 (1981) 131-137
Purpose:
Evaluate whether summer camp programs have
any influence on problem behaviors and social
development. Also, examine tools used for
evaluation and assessment of child psychiatric
treatment programs.
Sample:
One week summer camps run by the Department
of Psychiatry, Adelaide Children's Hospital.
Two camps included in study, 8 children
each camp, one camp serves children ages
7-10, one camp serves children ages 10-13.
Children are being seen in the department
of Neurology, Social Work or Psychiatry
and frequently all three. Most come from
economically disadvantaged households. Three
children were deleted from the study.
Methods/Instruments:
Target complaints measured by goal attainment
scaling, Conner's Parents Symptom Questionnaire,
adapted and titled Adelaide Parent Questionnaire,
Vineland Maturity Scale, Adaptive
Behavior Scale - Socialization, Sub-scale,
Adaptive Behavior Scale - Antisocial Behavior
Sub-scale, Adaptive Behavior Scale
- Violent and Destructive Behavior Sub-scale,
Adaptive Behavior Scale - Responsibility
Sub-scale.
Results:
Note: The camp program under study was not
designed to promote behavioral change in
the campers.
- Influence of the Summer Camp Experience:
- Inconclusive changes in severity
of behavior problems.
- No significant changes in the number
and severity of symptoms indicative
of child psychiatric disorders.
- No statistical significance on the
Adaptive Behavior Scale - Socialization
Sub-scale. No change on the Responsibility
Sub-scale or Vineland Social Maturity
Scale. Thereby, no indication that
the camp experience increases peer
group participation or enhances development
of social values.
- No statistical significance of improved
control of aggression.
- Evaluation Tools Assessment:
- Scales of ranked adjectives for
target complaints are easier to prepare
and administer and have good agreement
between raters as compared to goal
attainment scaling.
- Symptom checklists are not reactive
measures of change in behavior.
- Staff and parent behavior ratings
in poor agreement.
- Recommendations: Cost effective
measures of behavior change include
target complaints by therapists and
parents, and social adjustment measures
by teachers and parents. Symptom checklists
to obtain population norm comparisons,
not to measure behavior change.
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