Token economy as a way of treating Schizophrenia
AO1 BRIEF: 3 marks AO3: 1-2 marks
TokenAicore
economies are reward systems Supporting research for token economies comes
from Dickerson who proved the effectiveness of
used to manage the behaviours of
token economies for treating schizophrenia in a
patients with schizophrenia, in psychiatric setting. 11/13 studies reviewed reported
particular those who spent long beneficial effects that were directly due to the use
of token economies, and so it was concluded from
periods of time in hospital and may
study findings that token economies are effective in
have developed bad hygiene / increasing adaptive behaviours of patients with
routines. Modifying these habits does schizophrenia. However, it was cautioned that
many of the studies that looked at token economy
not cure schizophrenia but improves
had significant methodological issues therefore
the patient’s quality of life. Selective limiting their impact in the overall assessment of
reinforcement is used to encourage the therapy.
desirable behaviours in patients by the AO3: 3-4 marks
distribution of tokens for engaging in It has been suggested that there is a major problem
socially desirable behaviours. These in assessing the effectiveness of token economies
as studies into the therapy tend to be uncontrolled.
tokens can then be exchanged for
Typically, all patients in a psychiatric ward buy into
rewards such as privileges like sweets, the programme meaning that a control group is
cigarettes and magazines. This is an lacking in these studies. As a result, patients’
improvements can only be compared to their past
immediate exchange in order to
behaviours rather than a control group experiencing
prevent ‘delay discounting’ – the the same conditions at the same time. This is
reduced effects of a delayed reward. therefore a limitation of the psychological therapy
as this comparison can be misleading, due to the
Token economies are therefore a type
fact that other factors like an increase in staff
of behavioural therapy based on attention could be causing patients’ improvements
operant conditioning. rather than the token economy therapy alone.
AO3: 5 marks
A further limitation of token economies is that
they are less useful in scenarios outside of the
hospital environment. Researchers have argued
that there are problems administrating the token
economy method with patients in the community,
Notes:
as they only receive treatment for a few hours per
day. Whereas, within a psychiatric setting patients
receive 24-hour care and so there is better control
for staff to monitor and reward patients
appropriately. As a result, possible positive results
produced within the ward setting are unlikely to be
maintained beyond that environment,
consequently limiting the usefulness of the
Word count: AO1: 115, AO3: 300, TOTAL: 415 psychological therapy for schizophrenia.
AO1 BRIEF: 3 marks AO3: 1-2 marks
TokenAicore
economies are reward systems Supporting research for token economies comes
from Dickerson who proved the effectiveness of
used to manage the behaviours of
token economies for treating schizophrenia in a
patients with schizophrenia, in psychiatric setting. 11/13 studies reviewed reported
particular those who spent long beneficial effects that were directly due to the use
of token economies, and so it was concluded from
periods of time in hospital and may
study findings that token economies are effective in
have developed bad hygiene / increasing adaptive behaviours of patients with
routines. Modifying these habits does schizophrenia. However, it was cautioned that
many of the studies that looked at token economy
not cure schizophrenia but improves
had significant methodological issues therefore
the patient’s quality of life. Selective limiting their impact in the overall assessment of
reinforcement is used to encourage the therapy.
desirable behaviours in patients by the AO3: 3-4 marks
distribution of tokens for engaging in It has been suggested that there is a major problem
socially desirable behaviours. These in assessing the effectiveness of token economies
as studies into the therapy tend to be uncontrolled.
tokens can then be exchanged for
Typically, all patients in a psychiatric ward buy into
rewards such as privileges like sweets, the programme meaning that a control group is
cigarettes and magazines. This is an lacking in these studies. As a result, patients’
improvements can only be compared to their past
immediate exchange in order to
behaviours rather than a control group experiencing
prevent ‘delay discounting’ – the the same conditions at the same time. This is
reduced effects of a delayed reward. therefore a limitation of the psychological therapy
as this comparison can be misleading, due to the
Token economies are therefore a type
fact that other factors like an increase in staff
of behavioural therapy based on attention could be causing patients’ improvements
operant conditioning. rather than the token economy therapy alone.
AO3: 5 marks
A further limitation of token economies is that
they are less useful in scenarios outside of the
hospital environment. Researchers have argued
that there are problems administrating the token
economy method with patients in the community,
Notes:
as they only receive treatment for a few hours per
day. Whereas, within a psychiatric setting patients
receive 24-hour care and so there is better control
for staff to monitor and reward patients
appropriately. As a result, possible positive results
produced within the ward setting are unlikely to be
maintained beyond that environment,
consequently limiting the usefulness of the
Word count: AO1: 115, AO3: 300, TOTAL: 415 psychological therapy for schizophrenia.
