Chapter 8: Token Economy, Contingency Contract, Behavioural Child Management Training PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Token Economy Takes place within an enclosed environment “you want to live here you play by my rules” Usually implemented for groups, not individuals Use of tokens as symbolic reinforcers PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Token Economy Reinforcement: Obtaining tokens for desirable behavioiurs Punishment: Losing tokens for undesirable ones Tokens are exchanged for backup (actual) reinforcers Generalized reinforcers PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Token Economy: Basic Elements List of behaviours and the number of tokens earned or lost for each List of backup reinforcers and the token cost of each Type of token Procedures for the operation of the token economy PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Token Economy: Individualization Possible to temporarily modify benefits and costs for particular individuals Those with particular behavioral deficits New members to the economy Eventual integration into the group system PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Evaluating Token Economies Appropriate for adults and children with varying intellectual capacities Appropriate for a wide range of behaviours in many different environments Increases the dignity and self-esteem of participants Often rapid loss of treatment gains Importance of shifting to a “natural” type of reinforcer PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Contingency Contract Written agreement specifying the relationship between behaviours and their consequences Signed by the client Includes reinforcement and punishment Client is an active participant in its drafting Contract provides structure for interactions, opportunities to practice negotiating and cooperation Strangely, not a lot of research on this topic… PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Behavioural Child Management Training Recognizes that the individual (the child) may not be the appropriate unit of measurement Rather there are maladaptive parent-child interactions Teaching parents new, more adaptive skills PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Behavioural Child Management Training Typical parental problems: Vague or inconsistent instructions Overuse of punishments (threats, anger) Inconsistent or ineffective application of punishment Little reinforcment for prosocial, desirable behaviours PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Behavioural Child Management Training 2 Parents are taught to implement behavior modification principles (reinforcement) Parents as therapists Includes planned activity scheduling (differential reinforcement) Can be taught to single families or to groups Long term maintenance of training benefits PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8

Maintaining Behaviours in Changing Environments Maintaining behaviours is often difficult with major environmental changes What can help? Shifting the reinforcement from an external to an internal locus Broadening the subject of treatment from an individual unit PSYC4030 6.0D CBT Chapter 8