Token economy

• What is it ?

  • system based on behaviourism
  • specifically operant conditioning + positive reinforcement(occasionally negative and punishment)
• What is operant conditioning ?

  Learn through consequence + reward
• How is positive reinforcement used to treat sz?

  • reward good behaviour
  • punish bad
  • repeat desirable behaviour
• Secondary reinforcement ?

  • system whereby desirable behaviour is rewarded with a token or point which can later be exchanged for a reward once a certain number of tokens have been collected
• What type of behaviour is reinforced ?

  Socially desirable behaviour of long term patients

  • kind + respect
  • manners
  • make bed
  • hygeine
• What are tokens exchanged for ?

  Tokens then exchanged for primary reinforcers such as trips out, snacks, tv
• Evaluation ?

  1. Research support
  2. not long term
  3. doesn’t remove cognitive symptoms
• Paul + lentz

  • patients given tokens each time they behaved appropriately
  • used to purchase small luxuary items
  • also received behavioural treatment

  - both positive and negative symptoms reduces

  more hospital discharges than control group

  - only 11% needed drug treatment but 100% of control did
• Not long term ?

  Once patients leave the reward is gone
• Doesn’t remove cognitive symptoms. ?

  • delusions + hallucinations
  • can’t see or hear them so can’t reward them