JMA Journal

Table 1. Overview of the 18 Reviewed Studies.

From: A Scoping Review of Camp Activities for Children with Developmental Disorders

First author (country of study, year)	Study design	Research objectives	Duration	Participant demographics and sample size	Age and sex of participating children	Type of disorders	Study methods	Timing of measurement
Thompson-Hodgetts et al. (Canada, 2024) ⁽²⁸⁾	Qualitative & quantitative research	To explore the benefits of a brief autism education intervention on peer engagement and inclusion at day camps.	Five-day camp	Children (n = 15; intervention group = 10, control group= 5) Children with ASD (n = 5; intervention group), peers (n = 34), staff (n = 18)	Boys = 14, girls = 1; aged 4-12 Not specified	ASD	The playground observation of peer engagement, the reflexive qualitative thematic analysis approach	During camp
Watanabe (Japan, 2024) ⁽²⁰⁾	Qualitative research	To clarify the effectiveness and necessity of nature experience activities, as well as the difficulty of doing them alone by families.	1-day camp × 2 sessions	Parents (n = 14)	Aged 4-17	Not specified	Open-ended questionnaire, qualitative analysis based on co-occurrence network mapping	Post-camp
Watanabe (Japan, 2023) ⁽³²⁾	Qualitative research	To compare the results of a questionnaire that was administered to volunteers with no or little experience, volunteers with experience, and staff members at a children’s care center.	1-day camp × 2 sessions	University students (n = 13), volunteer staff (n = 19)	Not specified	Not specified	Open-ended questionnaire, qualitative analysis based on co-occurrence network mapping	Post-camp
Watanabe (Japan, 2022) ⁽¹⁹⁾	Qualitative research	To investigate the effects of a nature trip to the ocean on children’s growth and development from the perspective of parents.	1-day camp × 3 sessions	Parents (n = 24)	Aged 5-15	Not specified	Open-ended questionnaire, thematic analysis	Post-camp
Watanabe (Japan, 2022) ⁽³³⁾	Qualitative research	To investigate the current situation and issues pertaining to the nature experiences from the perspective of volunteers and child day care center staff who support.	1-day camp × 3 sessions	Volunteers and staff (n = 32)	Not specified	Not specified	Open-ended questionnaire, thematic analysis	Post-camp
Sakamoto et al. (Japan, 2022) ⁽²⁴⁾	Quantitative research	To determine the effects of an 18-day outward-bound type camping therapy intervention on ego development and the self-concept in children with developmental disorders.	1-day orientation, 18-day main camp, 2-day follow-up	Children (n = 23)	Boys = 21, girls = 2; mean age = 13.43 ± 0.84	ASD, ADHD	Kajita’s Self-Actualization Scale, the Landscape Montage Technique	Pre-camp, post-camp, 1 month after
Sakamoto et al. (Japan, 2022) ⁽²⁵⁾	Quantitative research	To examine its effect on perceived self-positiveness, sense of acceptance and social skills in children with developmental disorders.	2-day pre-camp, 13-day main camp	Children with developmental disorders (n = 20); Typical development (n = 66)	Children with developmental disorders (boys = 16, girls = 4; mean age = 13.43 ± 0.84); Typical development (boys = 43, girls = 23; mean age = 12.0 ± 6.73)	Not specified	Sense of Self-Positiveness Scale (SSPS), Sense of Acceptance Scale (SAS), and Social Skills Scale in Camping (SSS-C)	Pre-camp, post-camp, 1 month after
Otomo et al. (Japan, 2022) ⁽³¹⁾	Qualitative research	To clarify the factors associated with consensus-building among children with developmental disabilities in a long-term adventure camp.	2-day pre-camp, 13-day main camp	Children (n = 4)	Boys, aged 11	ASD, ADHD	participant observation, coding, and categorization	During camp
Wenzel et al. (USA, 2020) ⁽²⁹⁾	Quantitative research	To examine the immediate and long-term effects of participation in a family camp designed specially for families with a child with ASD.	3-day camp	Parents (n = 24) and siblings (n = 8)	Boys = 9, girls = 7	ASD	Family Leisure Activity Profile (FLAP), the Family Leisure Satisfaction Scale (FLSS), the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale IV (FACES IV), the Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFL), the Adaptive Skills/Level of Support Scale, relevant sociodemographic information	Pre-camp, post-camp, 2 months after, 6 months after
Higuchi et al. (Japan, 2019) ⁽³⁰⁾	Quantitative research	To clarify the differences in evaluations and perceptions of children’s difficulties and prosocial behavior among children, their parents, and observers.	2-day camp, 3-day camp, 2-day camp	Children (n = 15) and parents (n = 15); observers (n = 8)	Aged 9-12	ASD, ADHD	The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire	Pre-camp, post-camp
Okuta and Ono (Japan, 2019) ⁽³⁴⁾	Case report	To investigate the effectiveness of a camp for improving interpersonal relationships.	3-day preparation, 2-day camp	Parents (n = 19) and staff (n = 36)	Not specified	ASD	Open-ended questionnaire	Post-camp
Takeuchi (Japan, 2018) ⁽²²⁾	Case report	To explore how the experience affected the internal experience of a boy with developmental disabilities and to elucidate the internal processes that emerged.	1-day pre-camp, 2-day camp×3sessions	Child (n = 1) and parents	Aged 6	Visuospatial dysfunction, ADHD, LD	Interview, Projective drawing methods (pictorial diary, Baum test), questionnaire to parents, participant observation	Post-camp
Otomo et al. (Japan, 2017) ⁽²⁷⁾	Qualitative & quantitative research	To clarify the effects of long-term camping on its participants’ over-adaptation and the process of changing social adjustment.	2-day pre-camp, 13-day main camp	Children (n = 16; experimental group = 4, control group = 12) Child (n = 1) and parent (n = 1)	Boys = 12, girls = 4; aged 11-14 Boy, aged 11	Not specified/ADHD	Over-adaptation scale and Ibasho scale, participant observation, interview	Pre-camp, post-camp, 1 month after; during camp, post-camp
Higuci et al. (Japan, 2017) ⁽²⁶⁾	Quantitative research	To evaluate the effectiveness of the resilience camp.	2-day camp, 3-day camp, 2-day camp	Children (n = 15), parents and observers (n = 8)	Aged 9-12	ASD, ADHD	The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire	Pre-camp, post-camp
Townsend et al. (USA, 2017) ⁽³⁵⁾	Qualitative research	To examine the immediate and long-term influence on family well-being of participation in a family camp.	2-day camp	Parents (n = 24)	Not specified	ASD	Semi-structured interview, field notes	2 months after camp, 6 months after camp
Onohara et al. (Japan, 2014) ⁽²³⁾	Case report	To report on the implementation of the resilience camp.	2-day camp	Children (n = 25)	Boys = 9, girls = 16; aged 5-14	Not specified	Observation	During camp
Narita et al. (Japan, 2013) ⁽²¹⁾	Case report	To clarify the impact of participation in camp activities on their S-HTP drawings.	1-day orientation, 3-day main camp, 1-day follow-up	Children (n = 2)	Boys; age = 15, 16	ASD	S-HTP Method	Pre-camp, 1 month after camp, 10 months after camp
Kiya (Japan, 2001) ⁽³⁶⁾	Case report	To examine the philosophy and content of autism camp activities, and clarify their significance and future necessity.	3-day camp	Children (n = 2)	Boys; age = 6, 15	ASD	Observation	During camp

» Back to article page

Table 2. Methodological Quality Assessment Using MMAT (2018 Version).

From: A Scoping Review of Camp Activities for Children with Developmental Disorders

First author (year)	Study design	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q5
Thompson-Hodgetts et al. (2024) ⁽²⁸⁾	MM	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Watanabe (2024) ⁽²⁰⁾	QUAL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Watanabe (2023) ⁽³²⁾	QUAL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Watanabe (2022) ⁽¹⁹⁾	QUAL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Watanabe (2022) ⁽³³⁾	QUAL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sakamoto et al. (2022) ⁽²⁴⁾	QUAN-NR	Can’t tell	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Sakamoto et al. (2022) ⁽²⁵⁾	QUAN-NR	Can’t tell	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Otomo et al. (2022) ⁽³¹⁾	QUAL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wenzel et al. (2020) ⁽²⁹⁾	QUAN-NR	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Higuchi et al. (2019) ⁽³⁰⁾	QUAN-NR	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Okuta and Ono (2019) ⁽³⁴⁾	QUAN-DES	Yes	No	Can’t tell	No	Can’t tell
Takeuchi et al. (2018) ⁽²²⁾	QUAN-DES	Can’t tell	No	Can’t tell	No	Can’t tell
Otomo et al. (2017) ⁽²⁷⁾	MM	Can’t tell	Yes	Yes	No	Can’t tell
Higuci et al. (2017) ⁽²⁶⁾	QUAN-DES	Can’t tell	No	Yes	No	Yes
Townsend et al. (2017) ⁽³⁵⁾	QUAL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Onohara et al. (2014) ⁽²³⁾	QUAN-DES	Can’t tell	No	No	No	Can’t tell
Narita et al. (2013) ⁽²¹⁾	QUAL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kiya (2001) ⁽³⁶⁾	QUAN-DES	Can’t tell	No	Can’t tell	No	Can’t tell

» Back to article page

PAGE TOP