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An examination of the effects of participation
in an adventure camp program on the self-concept
of adolescents with behavioral problems.
Larson, B. A.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Kentucky,
1998.
Purpose:
Examine the effects of an adventure camp
experience on the self-concept of adolescents
with behavioral problems and the impact
of the attributes of trust, cooperation,
and problem solving on participants' self-concept.
Sample:
Subjects: 61 male and female adolescents
with behavior problems, ages 9-17 years.
Camp Affiliation: Life Adventure Camp, Lexington,
Kentucky.
Method/Instruments:
Method: Subjects participated in a five-day
adventure camp. In the decentralized camp
program subjects lived in groups of 8-10
and learned basic outdoor living skills.
The challenge activities were sequenced
into five levels: goal setting, awareness,
trust, cooperation, and problem solving.
Specific adventure activities included:
hiking, caving, and challenge course activities.
Instruments:
- Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept
Scale (PHCSCS) used to measure self-concept.
- Trust, Cooperation, and Problem-Solving
Scale used to measure trust, cooperation,
and problem solving.
Design: Quasi-experimental non-equivalent
control group pre-test/post-test design (31
males and females in experimental group, 30
in control group).
Data Analysis:
- One way ANOVA used to analyze for differences
between experimental and control groups.
- Paired t-test used to analyze for within-group
differences between pre-test and post-test
scores.
- Multiple Regression was used to analyze
for influence of camp experience, age,
trust, cooperation, and problem solving
on change in self-concept scores of the
experimental group.
Results:
- No significant PHCSCS self-concept gain
or subscale score between-group differences.
- Significant positive self-concept gain
score differences for the group attending
adventure camp.
- Significant positive PHCSCS subscale
differences for the camp group on behavior,
intellectual and school status, and happiness
and satisfaction.
- Significant positive PHCSCS subscale
differences for control group on intellectual
and school status and physical appearance
and attributes.
- No significant between-group differences
on trust, cooperation, and problem-solving.
- Significant differences between the
two groups on the measure of trust.
- Significant positive differences within
the experimental group on trust, cooperation,
and problem solving.
- Significant differences between the
two groups' self-concept scores in 9-11
year old age groups and significant self-concept
gain scores for the experimental 12-14
age group.
- No significant age group differences
between groups on PHCSCS subscale scores.
- Significant difference within 9-11 year
old experimental group on PHCSCS subscale
scores of physical appearance and attributes,
popularity, and happiness and satisfaction.
- Significant differences within 12-14
year old experimental group on the behavior
subscale score
- No significant age group differences
between groups on trust, cooperation,
and problem solving scores.
- Significant gains in the 9-11 year old
experimental group in the areas of trust
and problem solving.
- Regression Analysis results:
-
Age: negative
impact on self-concept gain scores (as
the subjects got older, self-concept
gains diminished).
-
The camp experience:
positive impact on self-concept gain
scores and behavior subscale scores
of subjects.
-
Trust: negative
impact on self-concept gain scores and
a positive impact on behavior subscale
scores.
-
Cooperation:
positive influence on self-concept gain
scores and a negative impact on behavior
subscale scores.
-
Problem solving:
positive influence on self-concept and
behavior subscale scores.
-
Intellectual
and School Status Subscale: Age and
cooperation had a negative impact on
the scores, the camp experience, trust,
and cooperation had a positive impact.
-
Physical Appearance
and Attributes Subscale: Age, camp treatment,
and trust had a negative impact;.cooperation
and problem solving had a positive impact.
-
Anxiety Subscale:
Age and trust had a negative impact;
camp experience, cooperation, and problem
solving had a positive impact.
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