Diabetic Camping: Effect on Knowledge, A Ttitude, and Self-Concept

With the use of a pre- and posttest design, the effect of a one-week camping experience researched knowledge, attitude toward diabetes, and self-concept of diabetic and nondiabetic children in an integrated residential camp. Subjects for this study were 63 children with diabetes and 18 children without, ages 8 to 14. A modified Etzwiler Diabetic Knowledge Questionnaire, a modified Attitude toward Disabled People Scale, and a Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale were administered on days one and six. Subject characteristics considered to be related to the variables under study were assessed. Paired t-tests, analysis of covariance with repeated measures, and Pearson correlation techniques were used in data analysis. While both the diabetic and nondiabetic groups significantly increased in knowledge about the disease, in neither group was their change in attitude toward the disease significant nor did the nondiabetic subjects demonstrate a statistically significant difference on this variable. Age of onset was inversely correlated with knowledge gain scores, and self-concept were positively correlated with the knowledge scores. The groups did not differ in knowledge acquisition, change in attitude toward the disease, or self-concept. The effect of the camping experience was essentially the same for the two groups.