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The aims of this randomized, single-blind crossover trial were to investigate the effect of adding a simulated bowling video game via the Nintendo Wii(®) gaming system to the standard exercise regimen of cognitively intact residents of long-term care (LTC) with upper extremity dysfunction and to identify individual characteristics that might predict improvement. Residents (n=34) were recruited through two LTC facilities in southwestern Ontario and were randomized into a standard exercise (SG) or standard exercise plus Wii bowling (Wii) arm. After 4 weeks of intervention, the groups were crossed over to the opposite arm. Outcomes included measures of pain intensity and bothersomeness, physical activity enjoyment, and a six-item measure of functional capacity designed specifically for residents of LTC. Results suggest that subjects improved on all outcomes from pre- to postintervention but that only enjoyment of activity showed a significant difference between the SG and Wii groups. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) ranged from small (0.30 for bothersomeness) to large (1.77 for functional capacity). Responders, defined as those subjects who reported any degree of improvement following the Wii intervention, were less likely to complain of stiffness or shoulder symptoms and were more likely to complain of hand symptoms than non-responders. Limitations in interpretation and recommendations for future research are presented.

In this study, the authors investigated whether psychotherapist bias related to client bisexuality is most likely to occur with respect to judgments about stereotype-relevant clinical issues. Participants were 108 psychotherapists who read a fictitious intake report about a male client who was portrayed as heterosexual, gay, or bisexual. Client sexual orientation was behaviorally operationalized through reference to the sex of the client's present and previous romantic partners. Participants rated the case for the salience of a variety of clinical issues (some of which were related to bisexual stereotypes), global psychological functioning, and anticipated reactions to the client. Client sexual orientation had no effect for outcomes unrelated to bisexual stereotypes. In contrast, clinical issues related to bisexual stereotypes were rated as most salient to the case when the client was portrayed as bisexual rather than when the client was portrayed as heterosexual or gay. This effect remained significant even when participants' self-reported ability to avoid bias, self-presentational concerns, and response set related to perceptions of psychopathology were controlled for. Exploratory analyses suggested that this effect was partially mediated by stereotypes of bisexual men as confused and conflicted.

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