Defining and Measuring Camp: Camper Theory of Essential Camp Experiences and the Camp Experiences Exposure Scale

Abstract

This was an exploratory sequential, mixed-methods study that answered two research questions related to how campers defined the camp experience and how exposure to these experiences can be measured. The research questions were divided into two corresponding phases. The first phase employed youth participatory, grounded theory research methods to generate a theory of essential camp experiences. The second phase validated that theory and reduced it to a functional rating scale by using a best practices approach to scale development found in the literature. Sixty campers were equally sampled from a population of three summer camps operating under the umbrella of one camping organization. Results from Phase 1 indicated campers believed the camp experience to be made up of seven essential experiences (a) community, (b) relationships, (c) tradition, (d) challenge, (e) reflection, (f) natural setting, and (g) fun activities. Phase 2 results indicated a rating scale designed to measure exposure to these experiences held up to statistical analysis. The results of this research identified a first step, or a launch–pad, for identifying the conditions present at camp that contribute to the well-documented outcomes associated with the camp experience. The implications of these results are wide ranging and include (a) a contribution to the growing knowledge on how camp impacts campers, (b) advocacy for camper participation in research practices, and (c) a means for evaluating camper exposure to essential experiences. Recommendations for future research are also provided.