Token Economies to manage schizophrenia

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  • Created by: asusre
  • Created on: 30-11-20 16:02
What are token economies?
Token economies are behaviour modification systems used to manage behaviour of patients with schizophrenia and are based mainly on the theory of operant conditioning.
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What is operant conditioning?
Operant conditioning occurs when an association is made between a particular behaviour and a consequence for that behaviour, built upon the use of reinforcement or punishment to encourage or discourage behaviour.
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What is the difference between a primary reinforcer and a secondary reinforcer?
Primary reinforcers naturally reinforce behaviour because they are innately desirable, whereas secondary reinforcers reinforce behaviour because we learn to associate them with primary reinforcers
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What is the first stage of token economy?
Tokens, which initially hold no value, are repeatedly presented alongside incentives (primary reinforcers) in order to create an association between the two, turning the tokens into secondary reinforcers.
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What is the second stage of token economy?
Patient engages in ‘target’ (desirable) behaviours or reduces inappropriate ones
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What is the third stage of token economy?
Patients are given tokens for engaging in target behaviours.
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What is the fourth/final stage of token economy?
Patients trade tokens for access to desirable items or privileges. This should be done quickly to be effective.
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What is a generalised reinforcer?
A generalised reinforcer is a token which can be exchanged for a variety of items. The more privileges and rewards the token can be exchanged for, the more powerful that token becomes.
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What is one strength of token economies?
One strength of token economies is that there is research which supports their effectiveness.
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Which research supports the effectiveness of token economies?
Glowacki et al (2016) reviewed 7 studies of token economies and found that they all showed a reduction in negative symptoms and a decline in the frequency of undesirable behaviours.
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What are the limitations of token economies?
There is research which challenges the effectiveness of token economies, they are less effective for patients living in a community setting and they have ethical issues.
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Which research challenges the effectiveness of token economies?
Comer (2013) suggests that a problem of token economies research is that studies tend to be uncontrolled.
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Which research shows that token economies are less useful for patients living in the community?
Corrigan (1991) argues that token economies are not useful for managing the behaviour of outpatients who live in the community because staff cannot monitor or reward patients appropriately.
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What are the ethical concerns of token economies?
Clinicians may restrict patients' access to food, privacy or activities that alleviate boredom, so people who are seriously ill, who may not be able to control their behaviour, experience reduced quality of life in token economies.
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Study which suggests that token economies may potentially be an important treatment if randomised trials could be carried out
McMonagle and Sultana (2000)
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is operant conditioning?

Back

Operant conditioning occurs when an association is made between a particular behaviour and a consequence for that behaviour, built upon the use of reinforcement or punishment to encourage or discourage behaviour.

Card 3

Front

What is the difference between a primary reinforcer and a secondary reinforcer?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is the first stage of token economy?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is the second stage of token economy?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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