managing schizophrenia - token economies Flashcards
token economies
-behavioural treatment for SZ based on operant conditioning
-tokens given as a reward in psychiatric institution to encourage self care
reinforcers
secondary - tokens
primary - rewards (e.g. movies, outdoor time and sweets)
ayllon and azrin (1968)
-set up a token economy with SZ patients
-went from performing 5 chores a day to 40
-helps improve the quality of life
institutionalisation
-long periods of being in an hospital
-bad habits (not washing or socialising) can develop without a routine
-when you come out of a hospital you may get the symptoms back
weakness
point - unethical (freedom reduced)
evidence - patients with the most severe symptoms (catatonic) are unable to access tokens as they can’t perform the behaviours
explain - effectively discriminated against for being severely ill
strength / weakness
pont - better alternatives
evidence - art therapy has similar benefits and no ethical issues (also recommended)
explain - limits usefulness of token economies
weakness
point - institutionalisation
evidence - if they are reliant they will be unable to go back to life outside of the hospital, may fall back into bad habits and regain symptoms
explain - this limits the effectiveness of token economies in everyday life