Impacts of overnight camp experiences on adolescent stress, self-esteem, and mental health

Abstract

This study examined the impact of a seven-week overnight summer camp experience on the stress, self-esteem, and mental health in adolescents. Adolescent stress was measured using the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire-Shortened Version (ASQ-S), self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), and overall mental health was measured using the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5). The Camp Status Questionnaire (CSQ) was developed by the researchers to examine the expectations for and evaluations of camping experiences amongst adolescents who attended seven-week overnight summer camp. The continued use of this measure, or similar measures, is important in understanding campers’ perceptions of their own individual camping experiences in different overnight camp environments. Results found no significant relationships across the variables, suggesting that overnight camp is neither a positive nor negative experience for adolescents during the summer break. Notably, the sample of adolescents that attended seven-week overnight summer camp was small (N = 25). Thus, it will be important for future research to include a larger sample which may be more encompassing of effects.