Between 2001 and 2004 the American Camp
Association conducted research with over
5000 families from 80 ACA-Accredited camps
to determine the outcomes of the camp experience
as expressed by parents and children.
Parents, camp staff, and children reported
significant growth in:
| Self-esteem |
Peer
relationships |
| Independence |
Adventure and exploration |
| Leadership |
Environmental awareness |
| Friendship skills |
Values and decisions |
| Social comfort |
Spirituality |
| |
| Directions
- View the final results (PDF
- 2.8MB) |
While conducting this study, many camps
and researchers asked for copies of the
survey utilized in this process. So that
we can provide you with the best information,
please choose a link below based on your
level of interest.
One word of explanation is in order. This
survey format was extremely valuable in
helping a research firm that is skilled
in youth development research and has staff
capacity to perform complex statistical
procedures to assess change over time. Individual
camps may find this exact same process unwieldy
to administer. ACA is seeking to find ways
to help camps with assessment in a reliable
and realistic manner.
Camps are probably best able to utilize
a single survey instrument that measures
the degree to which campers acknowledge
the presence of important youth development
program elements in their camp programs
rather than trying to annually measure change
in individual campers. This approach is
supported by the National Collaboration
for Youth Research Directors as a more cost-effective
and practical approach to program improvement.
ACA is working to develop and/or make available
this type of instrument in multiple formats
for camps and hopes to have specific recommendations
in 2006.
Based on your interest, please check the
link below for additional information.
Who Are You?
- Camp Director
- Researcher
Camp Director
Many camp directors have contacted the
American Camp Association asking for
a copy of the Youth Development Outcomes
Survey. This survey is called the Camper
Growth Index (CGI) survey. Below
is a link to the surveys we used with
parents, campers, and camp staff. As
you can see from the link, the survey
contains multiple items on each of the
ten dimensions listed at the beginning
of this article. There is a second link
which identifies the questions that go
with each construct. This is for your
information only. When you send out a
questionnaire, do not use this construct
list as it appropriate to mix the items
from the constructs rather than to have
them all together.
Researchers
Numerous persons have contacted ACA for
copies of/access to the surveys utilized
in our "Youth Development of the Camp Experience"
project conducted by Philliber Research
Associates (project administration: 2001-2004).
Below are links to the surveys developed
for this process and the psychometrics of
the camper surveys.
The administration of the survey package,
as ACA used it, looks like this.
| |
Campers |
Parents |
Camp
Staff |
| Pre-Camp
survey |
1 month
before camp |
1 month before camp |
Within 48 hours of
camper arrival |
| Post-camp
survey |
At the
end of the camp session |
About a month after
the camper returns home |
Within 24 –
30 hours of the end of the camp session |
| Follow-up
survey |
6 months after camp |
6 months after camp |
___ |
Detailed articles are being drafted to
be submitted to juried journals. These articles
will describe the results and methods utilized
in the study. They will be posted to this
Web site as published.
If you wish permission to use these instruments
in whole or in part, please submit a written
request to research@ACAcamps.org
describing what you want to use, the potential
population, and the time frame for use.
Once permission is granted, any use of
these instruments shall be acknowledged
as follows:
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