Developing Token Economies To Use At Home And School

1. Developing Token Economies To Use At Home And School Sarah Antal B.S University of Houston-Clear Lake

2. Agenda • Reinforcement Review • Benefits of Token Economies • Developing the Token Economy • Implementing the Token Economy • Maintaining an Effective Token Economy

3. Review of Reinforcement

4. Reinforcement Definition • A consequence for a behavior that increases the likelihood of the behavior occurring again in the future • Example • Give a child praise for picking up his or her toys

5. Positive Reinforcement Definition • Presentation of a preferred item/ activity to increase the likelihood that the desired behavior will occur again in the future

6. Positive Reinforcement

7. Positive Reinforcement Examples • Social praise for answering questions correctly • Allowance for doing chores http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA96Fba-WHk

8. Negative Reinforcement Definition • Removal of an undesired item or activity to increase the likelihood of the desired behavior occurring in the future

9. Negative Reinforcement

10. Negative Reinforcement Examples • Removal of a pop quiz for completing homework • Take the trash out and now the house smells good http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxdtMVww2q0&feature=related

11. 3 Types of Reinforcers • Primary Reinforcers • Secondary Reinforcers • Generalized Reinforcers

12. Primary Reinforcers • Natural • No Prior Learning • Examples • Foods, drinks, sleep, and air

13. Secondary Reinforcers • Learned • Paired or associated with other reinforcers • Examples • Praise, toys, fun activities

14. Generalized Reinforcers • Paired or associated with many other primary/ secondary reinforcers • Originally neutral • Examples • Stickers • Grades • Money • Tickets

15. Token Economies

16. What Are Tokens? • A generalized reinforcer • Anything that can be exchanged at a later time for a highly preferred reinforcer • Types of Tokens • Pennies • Tickets • Smiley faces

17. Tokens • Originally, neutral items • Paired with primary and secondary reinforcers • Similar to our monetary system! 1 penny Candy Corn

18. Tokens • Tokens are used to teach new skills • Examples • Academic • Self-help • Tokens are used to increase how often a behavior occurs • Examples • Hand raising • Making bed

21. Benefits of Token Economies • Bridge the delay between the occurrence of the behavior and reinforcer delivery • Permit access to multiple reinforcers • Prevent satiation of reinforcers • Easily used across an entire class • Portable

22. Developing a token System

23. Pre-requisites • Select and define your target behaviors • Select tokens • Identify items for your “reinforcer menu”

24. Identify Target Behaviors • Observable • Relevant to the goals for the child • Capable of reaching

25. Define Target Behavior • Operational Definition • Clear • Concise • Exclusionary criteria • Example • Raising Hand • Arm fully extended above shoulder and making eye contact with teacher

26. Select Tokens • Age appropriate • Safe • Durable

27. Identify Reinforcers • Observe • Ask • Trial and Error • Preference Assessment • Paired Choice • Multiple Stimulus w/o Replacement For more information about preference assessments, go to http://hsh.uhcl.edu/CADD . Click on the purple “Speakers Series” icon. Scroll down to the very bottom. Click on the powerpoint slides and handouts for the April 17, 2010 lecture.

28. Develop a Reinforcer Menu • Preferred items from assessment • Child chooses item from menu during exchange • Pictures • Written Words • Actual Items

29. Implementing a Token economy

30. Before Getting Started • Make sure items on the menu are reinforcing • Have materials for target behavior ready • Go over rules • Tokens then reinforcer

31. Getting Started Step 1: Establish teacher as reinforcer Step 2: Pair token exchange with reinforcer Step 3: Establish response requirement for token Step 4: Increase the cost of the reinforcers Step 5: Increase the response requirement

32. Step 1: Establish teacher as reinforcer • Pair reinforcers with teacher • Free access to reinforcers • No response requirements • Do not deliver any instructions

33. Step 2: Exchange token for reinforcer • Introduce the exchange of a token for a reinforcer • Place 1 token on board • Before reinforcer is delivered, have child give you the token • “Give me token” • Immediately praise and deliver reinforcer

34. Step 3: Establish response requirement for tokens • Introduce target response requirement • Require response for token • Praise and immediately give token • Have child exchange tokens for reinforcer

35. Step 4: Increase cost of the reinforcement • Gradually increase the number of tokens to earn a reinforcer • 1 Token = Reinforcement • 2 Tokens = Reinforcement • 3 Tokens = Reinforcement • As token requirement increases, increase quality of reinforcement

38. Step 5: Increase cost of each token • Increase the response requirement for each token • Start with a low ratio • 1 Response = 1 Token • 2 Responses = 1 Token • 3 Responses = 1 Token • 4 Responses = 1 Token • 5 Responses = 1 Token • As response requirement increases, increase quality of the reinforcer

39. Maintaining an Effective Token Economy • Restrict access to reinforcement • Change up reinforcers • Be Consistent • Delivering tokens • Exchanging tokens for backup reinforcers

40. References • Carr, J.E., Fraizer, T.J., Roland, J.P. (2005). Token economy. In A.M. Gross & R.S. Drabman (Eds.), Encyclopedia of behavior modification and cognitive behavior therapy-volume. Child clinical applications, 2, 1075-1079. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. • Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., Heward, W.L. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. • Deleon, I.G., Iwata, B.A. (1996). Evaluation of a multiple-stimulus presentation format for assessing reinforcer preferences. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 519-533. • Fisher, W., Piazza, C.C., Bowman, L.G., Hagopian, L.P., Owens, J.C., Slevin, I. (1992). A comparison of two approaches for identifying reinforcers for persons with severe and profound disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 491-498. • Kazdin, A. E., & Bootzin, R. R. (1972). The token economy: An evaluative review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5, 343-372. • McClannahan, L.E. & Krantz, P.J. (1999).Activity Schedules for Children with Autism. Woodbine House, • Pace, G.M., Ivancic, M.T., Edwards, G.L., Iwata, B.A., Page, T.J. (1985). Assessment of stimulus preference and reinforcer value with profoundly retarded individuals. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22, 23-33.

41. Questions?