Schizophrenia- Token economies Flashcards
What are taken economies?
A form of behavioural therapy where clinicians set behavioural targets they believe will improve the paitents engagement in daily activities/ social actvities
When are tokens awarded?
-When the paitent engages in one of the target behaviours
What are the tokens exchanged for?
-Various rewards + privelleges
Why are token economies successful?
-The patient will engage more often with desirable behaviours as they become associated with privileges and rewards
What theory is this based on?
Operant
What are the two types of reinforcement involved?
-Primary reinforcer- anything that gives pleasure, removes unpleasent things
-Do not require learning to become associated with privileges and rewards
How do secondary reinforcers acquire value?
Through classical conditioning + paired witha primary reinforcer
Are the tokens given out secondary reinforcers?
Yes
When do tokens need to be given pout in order to have maximum effect?
Straight after desirable behaviour is displayed
Why do tokens need to be given out staright after desirable behaviour is performed?
-Another behaviour may be performed so this behaviour may be reinforced instead and not the target behaviour
How is the neutral token given value?
Why does frequency/ consistency need to be considered?
-If they are given too frequently they may become ineffective
-Rewards that need too much effort to gain (paitent will not be motivated to gain them)
Why are they particularly effective in the early stages of use?
-Frequent exchanges take place
-Target behaviours increase in frequency
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Eval
E
S
C
A
P
E
-E (effectiveness)
-S (suitibility)
-P (practicalities)
-E (ethics + anything else)
Give an evaluation point for effectiveness?
-Dickerson research support
-reviewed 13 studies involving the use of token economies
-11 had beneficial affects which directly attribute to the use of token economies
-increased adaptive behaviours
-many of the studies reviewed had significant methodological shortcomings that limited their impact overall in this context
Give an evaluation point for suitability
-People who are in psychiatric wards as they are under 24 hour supervision so can be constantly monitored
-Staff are properly trained + consistent in rewarding/reinforcing
-Can be used for people in the community but they are only supported for a few hours a day so it may not be consistent as family members are handing them out
Give an evaluation point for practicalities
-Take time and commitment as you have to be consistent with them otherwise it is ineffective
Give an evaluation point for ethics and anything else
-May not be ethical as rewards (reinforcement) could be depriving people of basic human rights
-reinforcers such as food,privacyy, acess to activities to alleviate boredom
-Can be effective eat treating symptoms but no cause
