PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC RECREATION CAMPS FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES

The purpose of this study is to determine the perceived benefits that a Therapeutic Recreation camp offers young adults with disabilities. A total of 12 campers were interviewed with 6 being male and 6 being female. Emerging themes included: (a) Social, (b) New Experiences, (c) Character Building, and (d) Get Away. Findings identified the benefits that young adults receive from attending a Therapeutic Recreation camp program. Attending a Therapeutic Recreation camp program allows for individuals with disabilities to be around friends, to meet new friends, to feel a part of a family, to do things they have never done before, to become more independent, to escape from feeling different, and to simply be themselves. This study provides the rational towards leisure professionals providing more Therapeutic Recreation camp programs for the young adults with disabilities population. This study also provides practical implications to developing more programming for young adults with disabilities within the field of Therapeutic Recreation.