Initial development of the pediatric camp outcome measure

The objective of this pilot study was to develop the Pediatric Camp Outcome Measure (PCOM), an instrument designed to assess children's perception of the pediatric camp experience. Fifty-one children completed the PCOM at the end of a 1-week pediatric summer camp for individuals with complex heart defects. Participants also completed measures of anxiety, depression, and quality of life to provide support for the dimensions measured in the PCOM. The resultant 27-item, multidimensional instrument demonstrated strong internal consistency estimates for the total scale (alpha = .93) and each subscale (self-esteem, alpha = .84; emotional functioning, alpha = .84; socialization, alpha = .89; physical activity, alpha = .80). Initial support for the utility of the PCOM and the subscales was provided by significant correlations with concurrent measures of depression, anxiety, and general and cardiac-related quality of life. This study provides initial data and support for the use of the PCOM to measure children's responses to pediatric specialty camps.