Token economy

• What is a token economy?

  - Behaviourist theraputic approach for management of schizophrenia, where tokens are awarded for demonstrations of desired behavioural change.

  - Usually used in hospital settings, for long-term hospitalised patients, to enable them to leave hospital and live relatively independently within tthe community.
• What symptoms do token economies target?

  - Negative symtpoms, e.g. avolition.
• What is token economy based on?

  - Skinner's operant conditioning principles.

  - Patients receive tokens immediately after producing a desired behaviour - these include examples of self-care, adherence to medication regime and social interaction.
• What can the tokens be exchanged for?

  - Goods or privileges.
• AO3 - Dickerson et al. (2005) - Usefullness of token economy


  - Reviewed 13 studies of token economy - found to be generally useful in increasing the adaptive behaviour of patients - implies it ti be an effective treatment.

  - Worked best in combination with psychosocial and drug therapies - however, specific benefits of the technique when used in combination are unclear - further research is needed.
• AO3 - Silverstein et al. (2009) - Limitation of token economy


  - Found that schizophrenics living in the community often have trouble performing jobs where they are paid on a long-term basis.

  - Have difficulty in engaging in events to obtain distant rewards, but engage quite readily in situations using token economies, where they are paid hourly or daily.

  - Suggests schizophrenics need to be paid on a short-term basis when in employment.