Token economies as used in the management of schizophrenia

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What is the aim of token economies?
The aim of token economies is to change a patient’s behaviour so that they are easier to manage, will have a better quality of life and thus enabling them to live outside a hospital setting.
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How does it work?
Token economy uses Skinner’s operant conditioning principles, whereby patients receive reinforcements (rewards) in the form of tokens immediately after producing a desired behaviour such as self-care or social interaction. The tokens can then be later exc
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Research into token economy
Conducted by Teodoro Ayllon and Nathan Azrin: trialled a token economy system in a ward of women with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Every time participants carried out a task, such as making their bed, they were given a plastic token. These could be swapp
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What is institutionalisation?
When patients develop bad habits under circumstances of prolonged hospitalisation.
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A strength of token economy is...
Research into the effectiveness of token economy. Dickerson et al reviewed 13 studies of token economy, finding the technique useful in increasing the adaptive behaviour of patients, suggest self-hygiene, especially in combination with CBT and drug therap
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Limitation of token economy
Token economies raise ethical issues. The patients with the most severe symptoms are unable to access the tokens, as they are unable to perform the desirable behaviours. They are effectively discriminated against (in this case, denied rewards) for being m
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Another limitation of token economy
Another issue with token economies is that they do not get to the root cause of schizophrenia. The aim is to make schizophrenia more manageable and improve patients; quality of life however therapy does not treat schizophrenia this questions the appropria
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How does it work?

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Token economy uses Skinner’s operant conditioning principles, whereby patients receive reinforcements (rewards) in the form of tokens immediately after producing a desired behaviour such as self-care or social interaction. The tokens can then be later exc

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Research into token economy

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What is institutionalisation?

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A strength of token economy is...

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