Effects of Summer Camp on Child Development and Contributions of Counselors to those Effects

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Abstract
The study examines the effects of a summer camp experience on variables of self-concept and social competence behaviors in 77 girls aged 8–11 in a 7½ week summer camp session in Maine. Drawing upon literature from the field of parent-child interaction, the study considers the relationships between children's perceptions of their counselors and outcomes of camp for the children. Significant increases were found in self-concept scores and in counselors' ratings of some less desirable social competence behaviors, i.e., introversion, hostility, distractibility, and dependence, in the campers by the end of camp. No significant change was found in counselors' ratings of campers' more desirable social competence behaviors of extroversion, task orientation, considerateness, independence, intelligent behavior, and creativity/curiosity. Campers' perceptions of counselors as accepting of them and as controlling via enforcement of rules or expectations were significantly related to the campers' self-concepts and to their positive social competence behaviors. Perceptions of counselors as accepting were associated with change in positive behaviors, while perceptions of counselors as accepting and controlling were associated with change in self-concept scores. Implications of the study suggest that staff training programs might teach counselors to demonstrate acceptance toward campers and to provide a level of control appropriate to the age group with whom they work.

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