| Description |
This dissertation examines summer camps as a context for youth development. There is a lack of empirical evidence in three areas of the camp literature: 1) campers' learning that transfers to everyday life long after camp ends, 2) the mechanisms at camp that facilitate important learning for campers, and 3) the influence of behavioral loyalty to camp on youth development outcomes. Therefore, this dissertation includes three articles that contribute knowledge in each of these areas. The first study investigated adolescent campers' experiences with success and failure at summer camp. This qualitative study found success and failure can be a mechanism to develop and learn important outcomes such as self-efficacy, effective coping, and perseverance. Interviews with campers also indicated failure can sometimes be unproductive for youth due to ineffective coping responses. The second study examined learning outcomes from summer camp pertinent to academic and workplace readiness. Long-term learning outcomes applicable to academics and the workplace included relationship skills, teamwork, how to live with peers, organization, responsibility, independence, perseverance, career orientation, emotion regulation, and self-confidence. Mechanisms at camp (e.g., experiential learning) were identified and linked to the development of specific learning outcomes. The third study measured the influence of behavioral loyalty (e.g., dosage and developmental progression) at camp on developmental outcomes. This quantitative study iv found that behavioral loyalty predicted increased development in outcomes such as relationship skills, leadership, and self-identity. The findings in this dissertation inform implications for practice at summer camps. |
