Development and validation of a self-report measure of summer camp counselor burnout

Each summer, nearly one million camp counselors work at overnight camps in the United States. The intense workload and limited work-life balance may contribute to burnout, an occupational phenomenon characterized by exhaustion, mentally distancing from work, and reduced professional efficacy. Although camp administrators’ awareness of their staff’s burnout may allow opportunities to mitigate negative outcomes, a validated measure of camp counselor burnout does not exist. The Camp Counselor Burnout Scale (CCBS) was created to address this gap. In Study 1, we generated and revised initial items following expert feedback and cognitive interviews. We then conducted an exploratory factor analysis to identify the scale’s factor structure using data from 189 overnight camp counselors. In Study 2, we used a confirmatory factor analysis and structural models with data from another sample of camp counselors (n = 226) to test the hypothesized factor structure and establish convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity.