Examining Perceptions of Social Acceptance and Quality of Life of Pediatric Campers with Physical Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of social acceptance (SA) and quality of life (QOL) amongst youth with disabilities who participated in a weeklong residential camp experience with similar peers. Findings demonstrated moderate quantitative correlational results between the constructs of SA and QOL. Strong qualitative outcomes three months post camp demonstrate the powerful social impact of the camp experience. These findings related to the theme of a supportive community that is consistent with other findings on the therapeutic value of community at specialty camps for children with disabilities. Despite favorable social support memories, qualitative analysis revealed a general negative feeling from campers of the lack of transference of these positive social experiences to their local communities. This new finding, although preliminary in nature, begins to paint a picture of the possible need for the development of follow-on programming post social treatment at camp.