Evaluation of the asthma camp experience for children

Informal feedback from parents indicates that children seem to improve following an asthma camp experience. However, documentation of efficacy is lacking. Data were collected over the course of 3 consecutive years to assess factors that might account for improvements following an asthma camp experience. The sample consisted of 125 children, aged 10-13 years, who had asthma. The Child Behavior Checklist, Self-Perception Profile for Children, Punnett Adjustment to Camp Scale, and an asthma health education test were utilized. Intercorrelations among the measures were summarized by means of principal-components analysis. Implications to improve the camping experience based on these findings were discussed.