Effects of the Removal of a Token Economy on Children with ADHD

A Token Economy and The History Behind It’s Therapeutic Application

A token economy is a type of behavior modification method that is used in multiple settings, but primarily in educational settings. In essence, a token economy aims to model and shape behavior by rewarding individuals with tokens when they display the desirable or target behaviors. As a result, individuals will either consciously or subconsciously decrease the undesirable behaviors and replace them with the aforementioned desirable behaviors. For this to be effective, several elements must be in effect. For starters, individuals must receive tokens immediately after displaying the desirable behavior and this is crucial to the implementation of a token economy because it allows participants to become aware of the fact that the behaviors they enact are the direct cause behind the tokens awarded. Tokens could also be anything such as coins, money, candy and anything else that can be collected and exchanged later on for a meaningful object or privilege (Ayllon, 1999). However, this only works if the object or privilege that can be earned is meaningful to the recipient because it is the incentive for the participants to depict the desirable behaviors in the first place.

Secondly, there must be clearly defined target behaviors for the individuals participating. The desirable and undesirable behaviors must also be explained ahead of time, preferably at the beginning, in simple and very specific terms since the populations are most predominately school-aged children (Ayllon, 1999). The number of tokens awarded or lost for each behavior must also be specified in the initial introduction. As previously mentioned, participants exchange the tokens for meaningful objects or privileges, which are called back-up reinforcers. Examples of these include food, toys, extra play time, and even outings. To further improve the design of the token economy in place, the back-up reinforcers should also be chosen by the participants in treatment rather than by the staff or those implementing the treatment. This ensures that there will be an appeal of the back-up reinforcers and motivation to earn tokens. Lastly, consistent implementation of the token economy is a must. For a token economy to be successful, all staff involved