L11: Token Economy

Question 1

Why does schiz occur? How to treat it?

Answer 1

• Maladaptive thinking

- Best treatment = new form of learning using reconditioning and operant conditioning

Question 2

What does Token economy do?

Answer 2

• Patients change their unwanted behaviours into desirable ones
• Token economy used with drug therapy
• Only effective if used in institutions not home

Question 3

What happens in treatment?

Answer 3

• Rewarded immediately for NOT displaying unusual behaviour.
• Given tokens for behaving in a socially appropriate way e.g making their bed/tea
• Tokens exchanged for privieges
• Token Economy is not a treatment but aims to manage with the behaviour

Question 4

Evaluation of Token Economy

Answer 4

(-) Problematic when applying to real world as tokens aren’t given for desirable behaviour. Hard to transfer positive behaviour to real wold.
(-) Focuses on managing a few symptoms and ignores others like cognitive problems
(-) Erhically questionable. It manipulates patients to change and manage their behaviour. Some patients cant give their fully informed consent
(-) Not used on its own. Effective when used alongside other therapies, so effectiveness questioned.
(+) Flexible treatment. Can be tailored to fit needs of individual patients

Question 5

Research on schiz & token economy

Answer 5

• 45 female schiz patients hospitalised for 16 years were studied
• Rewarded with plastic tokens when making their bed/combing hair. When they didnt show any psychotic behaviour
• Tokens exchanged for pleasant activities
• Very successful, no of chores increased from 5 to 40, and symptoms reduced

Question 6

Research on schiz & token economy Evaluation

Answer 6

(-) Only examined female participants, cant generalise to male ppts
(+) No side effects and fewer ethical issues compared to drug therapies
(+) In 11/13 studies, TE was useful and increased adaptive behaviour. Beneficial and effective outcomes were noted, especially if it was combined with other therapies