Token Economy: A Systematic Review of Procedural Descriptions

Abstract

The token economy is a well-established and widely used behavioral intervention. A token economy is comprised of six procedural components: the target response(s), a token that functions as a conditioned reinforcer, backup reinforcers, and three interconnected schedules of reinforcement. Despite decades of applied research, the extent to which the procedures of a token economy are described in complete and replicable detail has not been evaluated. Given the inherent complexity of a token economy, an analysis of the procedural descriptions may benefit future token economy research and practice. Articles published between 2000 and 2015 that included implementation of a token economy within an applied setting were identified and reviewed with a focus on evaluating the thoroughness of procedural descriptions. The results show that token economy components are regularly omitted or described in vague terms. Of the articles included in this analysis, only 19% (18 of 96 articles reviewed) included replicable and complete descriptions of all primary components. Missing or vague component descriptions could negatively affect future research or applied practice. Recommendations are provided to improve component descriptions.

Exchange schedules in token economies: A preliminary investigation of second‐order schedule effects

“…This study was a preliminary investigation of potential second‐order schedule effects within the context of a token economy, when both token‐production and exchange‐production schedules were ratio‐based schedules. In a recent review of token economy procedures, Ivy, Meindl, Overley, and Robson () reported that the majority of research articles that reported replicable exchange‐production schedules reported using time‐based exchange opportunities rather than response‐based exchange opportunities. Although there is a wealth of basic research on the relationship between token‐production and exchange‐production schedules when those schedules are ratio‐based, there is little to no guiding research on the extent to which these schedules change when the exchange‐production schedule is a time‐based schedule.…”

Art of Prevention: The importance of tackling the nail biting habit

“…Most recently, Bornstein et al propose a combination of hypnotherapy with behavioral modification to improve habitual nailbiting and promote remission (Bornstein et al, 2008). Token economy is used to encourage positive behaviors through reinforcement with rewards [23] .…”

A comparison of token and tandem schedules of reinforcement on response patterns for adolescents with autism

“…A token economy is a complex system of reinforcement in which a medium of exchange (i.e., a token) is accrued contingent on behavior and could be exchanged for access to already established reinforcers (i.e., terminal reinforcers; for a recent review see Ivy, Meindl, Overley, & Robson, ). Ayllon and Azrin (, ) were among the first to use the token economy as an operant technology within an applied context to change socially significant behavior (Kazdin, ).…”