Development and Validation of a Self-Report Measurement Scale of Summer Camp Counselor Burnout

Abstract

Each summer, nearly one million seasonal staff work at overnight camps in the U.S. (ACA, 2021). Camp counselors typically fall between the ages of 18 to 25, with many within the 18 to 20 age range (Lubeznik-Warner et al., 2022). Despite their young age, camp counselors are tasked with considerable responsibility, including planning programs, facilitating activities, and caring for campers’ physical, emotional, and social well-being (Epley et al., 2017; Johnson et al., 2011). Due to the combination of a large workload, lack of separation between work and personal life, and limited free time, some camp counselors experience burnout, defined as an occupational phenomenon characterized by exhaustion, mentally distancing oneself from work, and reduced sense of professional efficacy (Bailey et al., 2012; Paisley & Powell, 2007; Wahl-Alexander et al., 2017; WHO, 2019). Burnout can have consequences for job performance including lower effectiveness at work, reduced commitment to one’s role, and exhaustion, which can all negatively impact camp operations including the quality of childcare provided (Maslach et al., 2001). As such, it is important for camp administrators to be aware of which camp counselors are experiencing burnout so that they may intervene to mitigate negative outcomes; however, there is not yet a validated measure for camp counselor burnout. The purpose of the current study is to develop and validate a self-report camp counselor burnout scale. In Study 1, I created a list of potential scale items based on prior research, revised them based on expert feedback, and refined the resulting questionnaire using cognitive interviews. I then analyzed data from camp counselors using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify the factor structure of the scale. In Study 2, I collected data from another group of camp counselors for analysis using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the hypothesized factor structure. Using these data, I conducted tests of validity to establish construct validity and regression analyses to analyze associations between camp counselor burnout and hypothesized predictors of burnout