The Token Economy

By: Leora & Amanda

Outline
Description of the Intervention
Overview of Theoretical Basis
Application
Review of Research Basis
Critical Thought

Description of the Intervention

A token economy is a system for providing
positive reinforcement to a children by giving
them tokens for completing tasks or behaving
in desired ways.
- Strengthening a behaviour
- increasing frequency

How does Token Economy work?

The basic principle is that a child earns a
certain number of tokens by engaging in
desired behaviour (target behaviour) and can
then exchange these tokens

The Basic Token Economy Cycle

What can be the target Behaviour ?

Reinforcers
Back-up Reinforcer is an activity, item or
privilege that the child like or enjoys.

Token Economy Chart

What can be used as tokens?

- poker chips, printed cards, fake money,
marbles or stickers (physical tokens)
- tick on a sheet of paper, a hole punched
card, signatures (non-physical tokens)

Physical Tokens
In Kazdin and Bootzins (1972, p. 343-344) review of token economies, they cite Ayllon and Azrin (1968)
regarding a number of advantages in using tangible items for tokens. These include:

the number of tokens can bear a simple quantitative relation to the amount of reinforcement

the tokens are portable and can be in the subject's possession even when he is in a situation far
removed from that in which the tokens were earned

no maximum exists in the number of tokens a subject may possess

tokens can be used directly to operate devices for the automatic delivery of reinforcers
tokens are durable and can be continuously present during the delay

the physical characteristics of the tokens can be easily standardised

the tokens can be made fairly indestructible so they will not deteriorate during the delay
the tokens can be made unique and nonduplicable so that the experimenter can be assured that they are

received only in the authorised manner.

In addition, tokens provide a visible record of improvement. This may facilitate social reinforcement
from staff members, as well as self-reinforcement.

Advantages of a Token Economy

- Bridge the delay between the target response and
back-up reinforcement
- Permit the reinforcement of a response at any time
- May be used to maintain performance
- Allow sequences of response to be reinforced without
interruption
- Maintain their reinforcing properties
- are less subjected to satiation effects
- May take on greater incentive value than a simple
single primary reinforcer

Overview of Theoretical Basis

A token economy is a system of behaviour modification
based on the systematic reinforcement of target
behaviour.
A token economy is based on operant conditioning and can be situated within applied behaviour analysis
(behaviorism)

Seven components of a Token Economy

Application - Case study

-Target behaviour
-Token to be used
-Backup Reinforcers
-Reinforcement Schedule
-Rate of token exchange for reinforcers
-Time and Place to exchange token for
reinforcers

Response Cost
A response cost is a penalty of fine where
tokens are taken away from the child for
breaking rules or engaging in inappropriate
behaviour.

Uses of Token Economies

Populationscial

Behaviours

Psychiatric Patients

Teaching Prosocial behaviour

Mental Retardation

Teaching Child Caring

All ages in school settings

Wearing seatbelts

Prisoners in Institutions

Dieting

Geriatric Patients

Exercise

Parents

Reduce workplace injury

Children

.many more..

Literature Review History

Joseph Lancaster (1778-1838) school system where badges of
merit and tokens could be exchanged for prizes.
As early as the 1800s schools in England gave tickets for
academic achievement
Reemerged as part of applied behaviour analysis in the 1960s.
1960s controlled studies showed effectiveness with hospitalized
psychiatric patients and mentally retarded children in specialized
classrooms.
(Kazdin, 2000; Stilitz, 2009)

Literature Review ADHD

4 preschoolers (2M,2F) with ADHD
Earned buttons displayed on chart for following rules for Good Behaviour
3 buttons earned for 1 large button, 3 large buttons to exchange for prize
Study also included a response cost where buttons were lost
Determined token reinforcement intervention as acceptable and little
differences between token & response cost.

(McGoey & DuPaul, 2000)

Literature Review ADHD #2

3 elementary school children (disruptive behaviour,
score of 65 or above on oppositional or hyperactivity
on Conners)
Used Reward Target Game paired with a token chart
Effective in decreasing
disruptive behaviours
(Reitman, Murphy, Hupp, & OCallaghan, 2004).

Literature Review Autism

7 year old boy ASD
2 interventions for On-Task behaviour
With and without embedded perseverative interests

Explained rules with visuals of on-task

Without Interest

Used penny tokens 20-s of on-task behaviour

Backup reinforcers (small candies chosen by boy) earned for 10 tokens

With Perseverative Interest

Used puzzle pieces with same requirements, exchange rate and backup reinforcer.

Literature Review Autism

Results: Perseverative interest based tokens can increase the effectiveness of token economies.
Often times restricted interests can limit learning and cause behaviour.
Important to recognize tokens may be more reinforcing than backup!!

(Carnett, Raulston, Lang, Tostanoski, Lee, Sigafoos, & Machalicek, 2014)

Literature Review Speeding Drivers

15 men (18-24 years)
Simulated driving for 30 minutes
Feedback and Token Economy vs. seperately
Feedback green and red lights
Token 1 point for 15 seconds below 93.5
Feedback and Token resulted in
fewest speeding violations
(Mullen, Maxwell, & Bedard, 2015)

Considerations or Variations
Response cost
Pairing tokens with praise
Tokens given on different intermittent
reinforcement
Verbal and Visual Prompts

Critical Thought

Satiation
Behavior changes achieved in token
economies are not automatically maintained

Other reinforcers (attention, praise, and feedback) when delivered immediately for specific behaviors, can be
very effective
Potential difficulties for Parents and Teachers

(Kazdin, 2000)

References
Carnett, A., Raulston, T., Lang, R., Tostanoski, A., Lee, A., Sigafoos, J., & Machalicek, W. (2014). Effect of a
perseverative interest-based token economy on challenging and on-task behaviour in a child with autism. Journal of
Behavioral Education, 23, 368-377. doi: 10.1007/s10864-014-9195-7.
Cooper, J., Heron, T., & Heward, W. (2007). Applied Behaviour Analysis. New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Foxx, R. (1998). A comprehensive treatment program for inpatient adolescents. Behavioural Interventions, 13, 67-77.
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-078X(199802)13:1
Hackenberg, T. (2009). Token Reinforcement: A Review and Analysis. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of
Behaviour, 91, 257-286. DOI: 10.1901.jeab.2009.91-257
Kazdin, A. E. (2000). Token Economy. American Psychological Association. Oxford University Press.
Matson, J. & Boisjoli (2009). The token economy for children with intellectual disability and/or autism: A review.
Research in Developmental Disabilities, 30, 240-248. DOI:10.1016/j.ridd.2008.04.001

References
McGoey, K.E., & DuPaul, G.J. (2000). Token reinforcement and response cost procedures: reducing the disruptive behavior of
preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. School Psychology Quarterly, 15(3), 330-343.
Mirzamani, S. M. Ashoori, M., & Sereshki, N. A., (2011). The effect of social and token economy reinforcements on academic
achievement of students with intellectual disabilities. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 6(1), 25-30.
Mullen, N. W., Maxwell, H., & Bedard, M. (2015). Decreasing driver speeding with feedback and a token economy.
Transportation Research Part F, 77-85. doi: 10.1016/j/trf/2014/11/008.
Reitman, D. Murphy, M.A., Hupp, S.D.A., & OCallaghan, P. M., (2004). Behavior change and perceptions of change: evaluating
the effectiveness of token economy. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 26(2), 17-36. doi: 10.1300/J019v26n02_02.
Stilitz, I. (2009). A token economy of the early 19th century. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42(4), 925-926. doi:101901/jaba.2009.42-925.
Tarbox, R., Ghezzia, P., & Wilson G. (2004). The effects of token reinforcement on attending in a young child with autism.
Behavioural Interventions, 21, 156-164. DOI: 10.1002/bin.213