Effect of Summer Holiday Programs on Children’s Mental Health and Well-Being: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Emily Eglitis; Catherine Simpson; Ben Singh; Timothy Olds; Amanda Machell; Rosa Virgara; Mandy Richardson; Kylie Brannelly; Aniella Grant; Jessica Gray; Terri Wilkinson; Zoe Rix; Carol Maher

doi:10.3390/children11080887

Children (Jul 2024)

Effect of Summer Holiday Programs on Children’s Mental Health and Well-Being: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Emily Eglitis,
Catherine Simpson,
Ben Singh,
Timothy Olds,
Amanda Machell,
Rosa Virgara,
Mandy Richardson,
Kylie Brannelly,
Aniella Grant,
Jessica Gray,
Terri Wilkinson,
Zoe Rix,
Carol Maher

Affiliations

Emily Eglitis: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Catherine Simpson: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Ben Singh: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Timothy Olds: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Amanda Machell: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Rosa Virgara: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Mandy Richardson: Department for Education, Government of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Kylie Brannelly: National Outside School Hours Services Alliance (NOSHA), Woodend, QLD 4305, Australia
Aniella Grant: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Jessica Gray: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Terri Wilkinson: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Zoe Rix: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Carol Maher: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children11080887
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 8
p. 887

Abstract

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Poor youth mental health is an area of global concern. Summer holiday programs may provide environments that support mental health when the structures and supports of school are not available. The aim of this review was to determine the effectiveness of summer holiday programs in improving the mental health, social–emotional well-being, and cognitive (non-academic) outcomes of children and adolescents. Studies of summer holiday programs for school-aged children (5–18 years) were included if they measured any mental, socio-emotional or cognitive (non-academic) outcome. Studies were excluded if they were published prior to 2000, targeted clinical populations or lasted less than five days. Six databases were searched (April 2023). Risk of bias was assessed using the PEDro tool. Study outcomes were grouped according to three main constructs: mental health (psychological well-being, anxiety, depression, distress, and self-perception including self-esteem, self-worth, self-concept, confidence, and competence); social–emotional well-being (behavior and social skills, e.g., communication, bullying, conflict resolution, empathy, and social skills); and cognitive function (memory, selective attention, and executive function). A fourth “other” group captured substance use, personality traits, character skills, and values. Effect sizes were calculated as the standardized mean difference between pre- and post-intervention scores. The synthesis involved a random-effects meta-analysis (presented in forest plots), where possible, with the remaining outcomes narratively synthesized. Twenty-six studies (n = 6812 participants) were included. The results of the meta-analysis suggested that summer programs showed a statistically non-significant trend toward reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression (k = 2 studies, SMD = −0.17, 95% CI −2.94, 2.60), psychological distress (k = 2 studies, SMD −0.46, 95% CI –1.71, 0.79), and no effect on self-esteem (k = 6 studies, SMD = 0.02, 95% CI −0.02, 0.06) or self-worth (k = 3 studies, SMD = 0.05, 95% CI 0.00, 0.11). Narrative syntheses indicated a pattern toward improvements in general mental health, self-perception, social–emotional outcomes, and cognition. Studies were generally small, with a high risk of bias. Summer holiday programs for children and adolescents show trends toward improving mental, social, emotional, and cognitive outcomes. Programs targeting disadvantaged children showed stronger patterns of improvement related to mental health and self-perception than programs targeting the general population. While effect sizes are small to negligible, they consistently indicate improvements. Summer programs present a promising avenue to promote mental health in children; however, further rigorously designed, clearly reported control-group studies are required to more fully understand their effects.

Published in Children

ISSN: 2227-9067 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Pediatrics
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/children

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