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The Role of Meals as a Reinforcing Event in a Token Economy Programme

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

P. J. Higson ,
P. A. Woods ,
M. M. Tannahill  and
N. C. Ellis
P. J. Higson
Affiliation:
North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd LL16 5SS
P. A. Woods
Affiliation:
Bryn-y-Neuadd, Llanfairfechan, Gwynedd
M. M. Tannahill
Affiliation:
North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd
N. C. Ellis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University College of North Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd
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Summary

Items such as meals have frequently been used as back-up events in Token Economy Programmes (TEPs) because of their supposed reinforcing effectiveness. However, despite the dubious ethical questions that this raises, there is little research evidence to support the necessity for their use in TEP's with hospitalised chronic mentally ill patients. The effects of introducing meals as a ‘free’ item on patients' performance of a number of target behaviours were investigated in a TEP where they had previously been scheduled as a back-up event. While ‘free’ meals produced a slight increase in the actual number of meals eaten, there were no systematic effects on patients' performance of the target behaviours.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 147 , Issue 2 , August 1985 , pp. 170 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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