This study evaluated the use of a tok en, operant conditioning technique as a treatment procedure in a group setting with chronic, hospitalized, psychiatric patients. Fifteen patients were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and to one control group; each group included five patients. The two experimental groups received tokens during phases of contingent reinforcement for "Therapeutic Responses" and under a yoked-control phase of non-contingent token reinforcement; the sequence of these phases was the major difference between the two experimental groups. The control group met under conditions of no tokens, and the frequency of "Therapeutic Responses" was recorded on those subjects. "Therapeutic Responses" were characterized as open, confrontive, and problem-solving oriented interaction among group members as defined by Quadrant IV of the Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM). Results clearly supported the hypotheses that therapeutic responses did occur significantly more frequently and for longer durations in both the experimental groups in the following predicted directions: (1) under conditions of contingent token reinforcement as compared to conditions of non-contingent token reinforcement and to baseline and extinction phases; (2) in both of the experimental groups as compared to the control group. Reversal procedures demonstrated the expected extinction effects. Also, all three groups were compared on follow-up outcome data which included: (1) pre- and post-test ratings by hospital attendants of the group member's behavior changes on the ward as measured by The Behavioral Adjustment Scale; (2) pre- and post-test scores on the HIM-B (an unpublished instrument based on the HIM measuring attitudes toward group interaction). There were no differential effects among the three groups' MACC Behavioral Adjustment Scale and HIM-B posttest scores. These results were discussed in respect to the implications of applied research in the area of verbal conditioning, and implications for the treatment of chronic psychiatric patients. Recommendations for future research to examine possible generalization effects were offered.

Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at risk for negative health conditions due to high levels of sedentary behavior. Walking and cycling are the most common forms of physical activity engaged in by adults with ID. Research is limited in evaluating physical activity interventions for this population. The purpose of this study will be to evaluate the effectiveness of a token reinforcement intervention to increase distance walked for adults with mild to moderate ID at adult day training centers.

No description available.

As the obesity rate in America continues to rise, the levels of physical activity have persistently declined at a rapid pace across all age groups. This trend is demonstrated most significantly in individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities (ID). Due to the high obesity rate in individuals with ID, it is crucial to find an effective intervention to increase physical activity. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of token reinforcement and monetary reinforcement for increasing physical activity among adults with ID, to assess preference for token or monetary reinforcement, and to evaluate the effects of choice of reinforcement procedure on physical activity. An ABAB design with an alternating treatments design was used to compare the two conditions (token reinforcement and monetary reinforcement). In the second intervention phase, the participants chose between the two reinforcement conditions. Results showed that both reinforcement conditions increased physical activity.

We used a multiple-baseline across participants and combined reversal and multielement design to assess the effects of contingent-token-reinforcement, compared to noncontingent-token-reinforcement, on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) exhibited by four preschool-aged children. Three children engaged in higher levels of MVPA when tokens were delivered contingent on MVPA compared to baseline (no token) and noncontingent-token conditions. Although MVPA was differentiated across contingent-token sessions and corresponding baseline (no token) control probes for three of the four participants, some variability was apparent. The present study demonstrated that the delivery of tokens contingent on MVPA can increase and maintain MVPA exhibited by preschool-aged children, resulting in more MVPA than in baseline conditions and conditions in which tokens are awarded without respect to MVPA.