BackgroundActive video games (AVGs) encourage whole body movements to interact or control the gaming system, allowing the opportunity for skill development. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show decreased fundamental movement skills in comparison with their typically developing (TD) peers and might benefit from this approach. This pilot study investigates whether playing sports AVGs can increase the actual and perceived object control (OC) skills of 11 children with ASD aged 6–10 years in comparison to 19 TD children of a similar age. Feasibility was a secondary aim.MethodsActual (Test of Gross Motor Development) and perceived OC skills (Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children) were assessed before and after the intervention (6 × 45 min).ResultsActual skill scores were not improved in either group. The ASD group improved in perceived skill. All children completed the required dose and parents reported the intervention was feasible.ConclusionThe use of AVGs as a play-based intervention may not provide enough opportunity for children to perform the correct movement patterns to influence skill. However, play of such games may influence perceptions of skill ability in children with ASD, which could improve motivation to participate in physical activities.

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Few studies have investigated relationships between static, elementary neurocognitive functions, dynamic measures of learning potential and functional status in schizophrenia, despite the putative role of learning potential in models of the relationship between static neurocognitive function and functional status (e.g., Green et al., 2000). The current study sought to clarify these relationships. One-hundred and twenty-five outpatients with schizophrenia were administered the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II), as an index of learning potential, along with measures of sustained attention, verbal prose recall, working memory, problem-solving and processing speed, and a capacity measure of everyday life skills (Study 1). A subset of 48 outpatients with schizophrenia who were impaired on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were also administered a test-traintest version of the WCST as a second measure of learning potential (Study 2). As expected, several static, elementary neurocognitive measures were linked to measures of everyday life skills in both samples. There was no evidence, however, that either measure of learning potential contributed unique variance beyond that explained by elementary cognitive skill to measures of everyday life skills. Learning potential was also tested as a mediator and moderator of the relationship between static neurocognitive function and measures of everyday life skills. Neither learning potential measure mediated the relationship between static measures of neurocognition and everyday life skills. Learning potential, as measured by the CVLT-II, was found to moderate the relationship of processing speed and everyday life skills. Taken together, these findings raise questions as to the explanatory value of measures of learning potential as predictors of functional status in schizophrenia.

This paper reports on the middle phase of a problem-based learning (PBL) group undergoing clinical psychology training at the University of Hertfordshire (UH).Trainers and trainees involved in PBL at UH provide some personal reflections on their experiences, highlighting some of the unique characteristics and dilemmas of participating in this middle phase of PBL. We explore themes around the dynamics within the group, the emotional experiences evoked for participants, and some of the strategies used to manage these emotions. We conclude with implications of this type of learning for clinical training.

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