Investigating the Influence of Gender, Age, and Camp Type on the Outcome Achievements of Children Under 10 Years of Age at Summer Camp
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18666/JOREL-2019-V11-I3-9202Keywords:
gender differences, nature, competence, outcome achievement, youth developmentAbstract
This study investigated the influence of gender, age, and camp type on outcome achievements for children (aged 6 to 10) at summer camp. The outcome achievements measured were affinity for exploration, affinity for nature, camp connectedness, friendship skills, independence, perceived competence, problem-solving confidence, responsibility, and teamwork skills. Three hundred thirteen campers were sampled from American Camp Association–accredited day and resident camps. Controlling for camper age, the study found an interaction effect between the type of camp attended and the gender of campers. Discriminant analysis indicated that differences were primarily due to achievements on the outcomes of affinity for nature and perceived competence. A discussion of implications of these findings for camp administrators concludes the paper.
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