title: Connecting through summer camp: Youth with visual impairments find a sense of community.
abstract: The social meaning of a one-week residential summer sports camp to young people with visual impairments is described. The experiences of 13 youths (7 females and 6 males) with visual impairments (3 B1, 1 B2, and 9 B3) between 9 and 15 years of age were gathered using the phenomenological methods of focus groups, conversational interviews, and field notes. The thematic analysis revealed three themes: connected, reaching out, and resisting and acquiescing. Experiences of group membership and shared emotional connection to others with visual impairments surfaced in a supportive sport context although resistance to others' assumptions of ability was evident. The theory of psychological sense of community (McMillan & Chivas, 1986) provided the conceptual framework for interpreting the findings.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Donna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Lauren J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Lieberman
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001766:Blindness / Q000523:psychology*; D002165:Camping / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012944:Social Support; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*