Examining Self-Authorship in Seasonal Work: A Study of Summer Camp Employment and Developmentally Effective Experiences

Self-authorship describes holistic development in epistemological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal dimensions. Individuals who are self-authored have an integrated identity across all dimensions and act from an internally defined orientation. Developmentally effective experiences are central to self-authorship and create cognitive dissonance, prompting individuals to reconsider their existing beliefs and understanding. After these experiences, individuals move forward relying on internal definitions of understanding the world, themselves, and their interactions with others. These concepts have not been considered in seasonal employment settings for emerging adults. Using a case study approach, five participants with varying experiences with summer camp were purposefully selected from a study of camp employment. Each individual participated in four interviews over two years. Transcripts were coded to identify developmentally effective experiences. We found camp employment is rich in experiences in the intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions, and thus this type of employment may be a complementary setting for self-authorship and holistic development.