Antisocial children in a summer camp environment: a time-sampling study

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Social Integration

Background:

• Homogeneous grouping of antisocial children for treatment may have negative consequences.
• Community-based settings with prosocial peers are proposed as a beneficial alternative for treating antisocial behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the behavioral outcomes of integrating antisocial boys into a prosocial peer group setting.
• To compare the behavior of antisocial children with prosocial children in a mixed-group environment.

Main Methods:

• Five antisocial boys were placed in a residential summer camp with 156 other children (81 boys, 75 girls).
• Behavioral frequencies (prosocial, nonsocial, antisocial) were compared among different groups within the camp setting.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in prosocial, nonsocial, or antisocial behavior were found between the antisocial boys and the prosocial children.
• The integrated setting did not lead to observable negative behavioral changes in the antisocial participants.

Conclusions:

• Integrating antisocial children into community-based settings with predominantly prosocial peers may be an effective treatment approach.
• Findings support the use of inclusive environments for addressing antisocial behavior in children, offering valuable insights for the helping professions.