Children’s Learning and Goal-Setting at a Diabetes Camp

Objective. This study provides information about children’s learning and goal attainment related to change in their self-management skills during a diabetes camp. Design and methods. One hundred and thirty-one children completed an evaluation for the first year (year 1), and 68 children completed an evaluation for the second year (year 2). All of the children had type 1 diabetes. During both years, parents provided information about goals for their child before camp started. Children’s learning about diabetes self-management, as well as their satisfaction with camp, was assessed at the end of the camp session. In the evaluation for year 2, a goal-setting intervention was also developed, and its effectiveness was assessed through both physicians’ and children’s reports. Results. Children learned new information during camp about recognizing and managing the signs of hypo- and hyperglycemia and about counting carbohydrates and rotating insulin pump sites. Children were better able to recall their self-management goals in year 2. In terms of benefiting from camp, boys reported learning more than girls about diabetes management, whereas girls were more likely than boys to report that greater opportunities to express feelings were of value. Conclusions. Goal-setting was successful in improving children’s recall of their self-management goals. Children benefited from the supportive and educational camp atmosphere. Future research should assess the benefits of camp across multiple camp settings and determine whether educational benefits have long-term effects on children’s goal-setting and knowledge and whether these benefits lead to psychosocial improvements.