Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Psychology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-101).

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The problem with which this investigation was concerned was that of assessing the effects of token reinforcement on children's self-concept.

There is a clear call to use evidence-based practice (EBP) in schools, and a growing knowledge base of practices that have proven to be effective in helping students achieve in educational settings. In addition, the current trends of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) and Response to Intervention (RtI) advocate for preventative and proactive strategies. Token economies (TE) are one intervention that is proactive and can be flexible to use with students across a wide range of behaviors and settings. According to Higgins, Williams, and McLaughlin, token economy (TE) is an effective way to improve classroom behavior. Unfortunately, limited recent research is available that evaluated the effects and moderators of token economies in classroom settings. The purpose of this investigation was to Meta-analyze the single case research on TE implemented in school and is the first to offer effect size analysis and identify moderators. The use of TE's has been widely established as an evidence-based intervention for use in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and school settings. However, very few articles discuss size of effects to expect, the essential elements required, or the practical implementation issues within a classroom. Many myths surround the use of a TE, i.e., many assume a token system is effective only for individuals and this is not so, as TE is effective for groups as well as individuals. In an age of accountability and emphasis on preventative evidence based practice evidence for using a TE and how to implement a TE is needed in our literature. Empirical evidence for the use of a token economy in a classroom is presented along with suggested implementation ideas. Twenty four studies were included in this Meta-analysis with an overall combined Tau-U ES of .78 of data showing improvement between phase A and B with CI90 [.72, .83]. Tau-U effect sizes ranged from .35 to 1.0. TE is effective with all ages evaluated (ages 3 - 15); however, statistically significant results indicated it was more effective with ages 6 - 15. Active ingredients (i.e. procedural steps) were evaluated, combined, and reported. Results indicate that TE is an evidence-based intervention to increase academic readiness behaviors and to decrease inappropriate behaviors.

A token point economy was established at a residential facility for adolescent boys adjudicated either pre-delinquent or delinquent. Points were awarded for positive target behaviors and points subtracted from target behaviors defined as negative. Points earned could be exchanged for such bac1up reinforcers as off-campus activities, snacks, telephone calls, etc. Results indicated a vast improvement on contingent behaviors such as fighting, foul language, destruction of property, behavior in the classroom, and cottages. In addition, there was an indication of improvement in more global areas such as attitudes and communication. The overall running of the residential program appeared smoother. The token point economy facilitated an improvement of the more traditional types of ongoing therapy. It offered a common reference point of what was expected of the resident's behavior.

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 1999. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains [vi], 101 p. : ill. (some col.) Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-64).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, Dec., 2008. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Theses (Ed.S.)--Marshall University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains v, 37 p. Bibliography: p. 28-33.

The current studies evaluated variables affecting sharing exhibited by children with autism spectrum disorder. The first study evaluated the effects of manipulating item preference on the level of assistance needed to exhibit sharing behavior for four children with autism. Item preference affected two participants' percentage of independent sharing. Preference did not have as clear of an effect for another participant. However, sharing a more preferred item required more assistance (e.g., vocal prompts) to share. The fourth participant's percentage of independent sharing was not influenced by preference, and his independent sharing behavior was similar across item preference. The second study assessed the effectiveness of a token reinforcement procedure as an intervention for increasing independent sharing of high-preferred items for the two participants who did not independently share high-preferred items during study one. Independent sharing increased for both participants when the token procedure was in place and returned to baseline levels when it was removed.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OFMarty D. Price, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology, presented on November 13, 2024, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: USING A HYPOTHETICAL PURCHASE TASK TO INFORM THE SELECTION OF TERMINAL REINFORCERS IN A TOKEN ECONOMY MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Eric Jacobs Token economies are among the most used techniques in applied behavior analysis across a variety of locations and diagnoses. However, most of the research in token economies is targeted at the economy and how it functions, and little attention is paid to the methods for backup reinforcer selection. Often simple interviews or standard preference assessments are used to determine which items are selected, with the values assigned to those items arbitrarily selected by the clinician. Methods within behavioral economics can be used to address this oversight, specifically hypothetical purchasing tasks and demand curve analysis. For this study, four participants with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities will be asked to complete two experiments using hypothetical purchasing tasks, the first with fixed incomes and variable prices and the second with variable incomes and fixed prices. A third experiment will introduce a simulated token economy by introducing a work component necessary to earn tokens to spend on backup reinforcers. Therefore, the purpose of the proposed research is to assess the efficacy of using hypothetical purchasing to inform the creation of a token economy for the treatment of behavioral problems in individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.Keywords: hypothetical purchasing, token economy, developmental disabilities, assessment