How to make gluten‐free friends: A quasi‐experimental study on the psychosocial benefits of celiac camps

Objectives Youth with Celiac Disease (CD) face social challenges, yet the benefits of specialized camps are under‐researched. This study evaluated a week‐long celiac camp's impact on social integration, illness identity, health management and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL). Design A quasi‐experimental waitlist design was used. Methods One hundred eleven youth with CD (ages 8–16, 65% female) were assigned to a one‐week camp in Switzerland (intervention; n = 66; 41 children aged 8–12 years and 25 adolescents aged 13–16 years) or a waitlist comparison group ( n = 45; 34 children and 11 adolescents). Pre‐ and post‐camp surveys assessed psychosocial outcomes, including friendships, illness identity and peer support (adolescents only), dietary adherence, perceived competence, subjective well‐being and age‐adapted HRQOL. Linear mixed models were used to analyse intervention effects. Results Compared to the control group, camp participation significantly increased friendships with peers with CD and promoted a more adaptive illness identity among adolescents, especially for novice attendees. No effects were found for dietary adherence or perceived competence. Unexpectedly, campers reported a short‐term worsening in the HRQOL domains of enjoyment (among children) and uncertainty (among adolescents) compared to the control, more strongly among novice campers. Conclusions Celiac camps effectively foster social integration and positive illness identity development. However, the short‐term impact on HRQOL is complex and may reflect a challenging “re‐entry” to daily life after a highly supportive experience. These findings highlight the benefits of celiac camps while stressing the need for longitudinal research to understand and optimize their long‐term impact.