A01

• 1.Token economies, prevalent in managing schizophrenia, were pioneered by Ayllon and Azrin. In their trial, tokens were awarded for tasks, redeemable for privileges, significantly improving task completion. Although declining in the UK due to community care growth and ethical concerns, they remain a global standard for managing schizophrenia.
• 2.Institutionalisation, common in prolonged hospital stays, fosters maladaptive behaviours, addressed by token economies, enhancing quality of life and facilitating community reintegration. Three behaviour categories are commonly tackled: personal care, condition-related behaviours, and social conduct. While not curing schizophrenia, modifying behaviours offers immediate rewards, improving hospital life and easing community transition. 
• 3.Tokens, given immediately for desired behaviour, hold no inherent value but are exchanged for real rewards, reinforcing operant conditioning principles. Tokens, secondary reinforcers, gain value through association with primary reinforcers. Initially paired, tokens and primary reinforcers reinforce desired behaviours. By customising target behaviours, token economies optimise effectiveness. Despite ethical complexities, token economies endure as behavioural therapy standards, offering tangible benefits in managing schizophrenia and aiding community integration.