TY - JOUR
T1 - What makes summer camp therapeutic for siblings separated by out-of-home care? Associations from counselor ratings of program implementation to youth-reported outcomes
AU - Waid, Jeffrey
AU - Wojciak, Armeda
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - Recognition of the developmental importance of sibling relationships has resulted in the proliferation of programs and services for siblings in out-of-home care. Empirical support is limited to a small number of these programs, however; and the mechanisms through which sibling-focused programs work to promote youth outcomes remains largely unexplored. To address this gap in research, the current study examined associations from counselor ratings of program implementation to youth-reported outcomes at Camp To Belong, a manualized camp-based reunification program for siblings separated by out-of-home care. Paper and pencil surveys were administered to 655 youth and 236 counselors at 11 camps operating in the U.S.A. during one camp season. Youth completed pre-test post-test measures of individual resilience, sibling support, sibling conflict, and post-test measures of belonging. Counselors completed post-test measures rating the enabling environment of the camp setting, the activities and events offered at camp, counselor satisfaction with program implementation, and critical events counselors observed at camp. A series of generalized linear models examined associations from the four dimensions of program implementation to each of the four youth-reported outcomes. Significant associations were observed from the program implementation domains to youth belonging and resilience, but not to sibling conflict or sibling support. Associations were observed in both expected and unexpected directions, illuminating the complexity of ways in which sibling-focused programs may affect the well-being of youth in out-of-home care. Insights and recommendations to inform future research and practice with siblings in out-of-home care are provided.
AB - Recognition of the developmental importance of sibling relationships has resulted in the proliferation of programs and services for siblings in out-of-home care. Empirical support is limited to a small number of these programs, however; and the mechanisms through which sibling-focused programs work to promote youth outcomes remains largely unexplored. To address this gap in research, the current study examined associations from counselor ratings of program implementation to youth-reported outcomes at Camp To Belong, a manualized camp-based reunification program for siblings separated by out-of-home care. Paper and pencil surveys were administered to 655 youth and 236 counselors at 11 camps operating in the U.S.A. during one camp season. Youth completed pre-test post-test measures of individual resilience, sibling support, sibling conflict, and post-test measures of belonging. Counselors completed post-test measures rating the enabling environment of the camp setting, the activities and events offered at camp, counselor satisfaction with program implementation, and critical events counselors observed at camp. A series of generalized linear models examined associations from the four dimensions of program implementation to each of the four youth-reported outcomes. Significant associations were observed from the program implementation domains to youth belonging and resilience, but not to sibling conflict or sibling support. Associations were observed in both expected and unexpected directions, illuminating the complexity of ways in which sibling-focused programs may affect the well-being of youth in out-of-home care. Insights and recommendations to inform future research and practice with siblings in out-of-home care are provided.
KW - Foster care
KW - interventions
KW - positive youth development
KW - siblings
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130268608&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85130268608&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/25161032221093409
DO - 10.1177/25161032221093409
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85130268608
SN - 2516-1032
VL - 4
SP - 136
EP - 153
JO - Developmental Child Welfare
JF - Developmental Child Welfare
IS - 2
ER -