Management of SZ Flashcards
Operant Conditioning
1) Token economies are an example of behaviour modification, based on operant conditioning.
2) Tokens are secondary reinforcers - exchanged for rewards (primary reinforcers which are directly rewarding e.g. food).
Benefits of Token Economies
QUALITY OF LIFE
Token economies improve the quality of life within the hospital setting, e.g. putting on make-up or becoming more sociable with other residents.
‘NORMALISES’ BEHAVIOUR
Encourages return to more ‘normal’ behaviour, making it easier to adapt back into the community e.g. getting dressed or making your bed.
Research Support of TE
1) Ayllon and Azrin (1968) used a token economy in a schizophrenia ward.
2) A gift token was given for positive acts - Tokens were later swapped for privileges e.g. films.
3) This ncreased the number of desirable behaviours that the patients performed.
4) Did increase the positive behaviour in patients. But there was no evidence that it alleviated their symptoms of SZ.
Evaluation of Ayllon and Azrin (1968)
Strengths:
- Ecological validity
- Practical applications
Limitations:
- Ethics
- No evidence that it treats schizophrenia, simply modifies behaviour
Limitation of TE
ETHICAL ISSUES
1) Professionals have the power to control people’s behaviour and this means imposing one person’s norms on to others (e.g. a patient may like to look scruffy).
2) Also restricting the availability of
pleasures to people who don’t behave as desired means that very ill people, already experiencing distressing symptoms, have an even worse time.
–> This means that benefits of token economies may be outweighed by the impact on freedom and short-term reduction in quality of life.
Limitation of TE
MORE ETHICAL ALTERNATIVES
1) Other approaches do not raise ethical issues, e.g. art therapy is a high-gain low-risk approach to managing schizophrenia.
–> This means that art therapy might be a good alternative to token economies - no side effects or ethical abuses.
