Long-term effectiveness of a camp-based intervention for individuals with spina bifida and the role of randomized follow-up booster sessions.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the long-term effectiveness of a camp-based psychosocial intervention for individuals with spina bifida (SB) 8 months post-camp. Using exploratory analyses, this study also sought to examine the effect of individually tailored booster sessions on maintaining or enhancing progress in goal attainment, condition-related skill mastery, and social functioning after camp.

METHODS

Campers (N = 78; age range = 7-46 years) participated in a week-long camp-based psychosocial intervention for individuals with SB. Campers and parents of youth campers reported on social and health goal attainment, SB-related skill mastery, and social functioning pre-camp and one month post-camp. Four months post-camp, campers were randomized to complete a booster session (N = 43) or treatment as usual (N = 35). Twenty-two campers completed a booster session. Eight months post-camp, all campers, regardless of randomization group, completed follow-up questionnaires. Mixed-effects growth curves were estimated to examine change in study outcomes across time.

RESULTS

Social and health goal attainment increased across the study timepoints. Regarding booster sessions, campers who completed a booster session were older than campers who did not complete a booster session. Completion of a booster session did not significantly predict change in study outcomes over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that progress toward camp goals is maintained well beyond the conclusion of camp. Booster session participation did not have a significant effect on the maintenance or enhancement of progress over time, though methodological challenges, including small sample sizes and potential selection biases, may have contributed to this finding.