BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A TOKEN ECONOMY IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTION

• NCJ Number: 28970
• Journal: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CORRECTIONS Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1975) Pages: 177-182
• Author(s): V L QUINSEY; B SARBIT
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Canadian Criminal Justice Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

DISCUSSION OF THIS STUDY DESIGNED TO EXAMINE BEHAVIORAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASING THE VALUE OF POINTS EARNED BY MAKING THEM EXCHANGEABLE FOR COMMISSARY ITEMS.

Abstract

ANOTHER PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFICACY OF THE TOKEN ECONOMY IN MAXIMUM SECURITY SETTINGS. TWELVE MALE PATIENTS IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL HAD THEIR PROGRAM CHANGED FROM ONE IN WHICH THE POINTS COULD ALSO BE USED TO BUY COMMISSARY ITEMS. SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE FOUND OVER A SIXTEEN WEEK PERIOD IN NET POINT EARNINGS, POINTS EARNED FOR ON WARD WORK, AND MOOD ANC COOPERATION RATINGS. NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ROOM AND SELF CARE AND NO DECREASE IN FINES FOR MISBEHAVIOUR WERE FOUND. LARGE, SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENTS IN FUNCTIONING WERE OBSERVED IN THREE PATIENTS. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE SMALL CHANGE IN THE PROGRAM RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT PATIENT IMPROVEMENT AND THAT A TOKEN ECONOMY APPROACH COULD BE CLINICALLY USEFUL IN MAXIMUM SECURITY HOSPITALS. A LIST OF REFERRENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT) --SUMMARY IN FRENCH