An Application of a Token Economy in a Residential Treatment Center for Pre-adolescent and Adolescent Girls

• Main Author: Moriarty, Eileen M.
• Format: Others
• Published: PDXScholar 1974
• Subjects: Reward (Psychology); Mentally ill children > Education; Child psychotherapy > Residential treatment; Education
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/2013; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3013&context=open_access_etds

The purpose of this study was to increase the level of completed academic tasks through the use of a token economy system with female adolescents in an institutional classroom setting. A 70 percent anticipated completion of academic tasks was the primary aim. Secondly, would there he an 80 percent increase of appropriate behaviors following intervention? Six emotionally disturbed girls living in an adolescent treatment center; subjects of this study, were unable to adjust to the socially acceptable norms of behavior. Each of these girls was described as too disturbed to learn. Utilizing the principles of behavioral change, the experimental classroom was set up to assist each girl in increasing her on academic task behavior and/or to enable her to work and learn independently in the classroom. The environment was arranged in such a way that when a girl interacted with it, learning was maximized. Results found the average classroom percent of weeks meeting or exceeding 70 percent was 31 percent. The days meeting 70 percent criteria was 51 percent. The class average of on academic task rose from 10 percent to 88 percent.