The Home of Positive Reinforcement

Welcome! This site is here to be a source of information about Token Economies.

This site is…….

What:    Token Economies, a behavioral tool
Who:      For educators and parents to implement with children, specifically children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Where:  In the home and community environments

What Are Token Economies?

A token economy is a behavior change system. Token economies utilize positive reinforcement for display of the target behavior(s). 

It consists of three major components:

(a) Specific list of TARGET BEHAVIORS (e.g., listening to the teacher, following parent directives, completing work, completing list of chores at home, sitting appropriately in the car) and what the TARGET BEHAVIORS look like (e.g., sitting with your bottom in the car seat while keeping the seat belt on, setting the table at dinner time) 

(b) Tokens that the student receives for EMITTING TARGET BEHAVIORS (e.g., pennies, checkers, stickers, points, smiley faces)

(c) A MENU of BACKUP REINFORCERS that are PURCHASED with Tokens (e.g., computer time, swimming outing, riding bicycle outside, watching a favorite movie, choice for dinner, outing to the zoo, purchase of candy bar after grocery shopping trip)

Step-by-Step Guide

Complete the following steps….

 

• Determine the target behavior (e.g., completing work, following directions, remain sitting in the car during the trip)

• Determine what the target behavior looks like (i.e., devise a clear and specific definition so that all staff members are consistent with the expectations and determining if the behavior has been emitted). Also, determine how often tokens will be given when target behavior(s) are emitted. (Shaping will be used–different “forms” of the behavior(s) will be expected with time and positive results.)
  

• Determine a token that will be given when the student emits the target behavior (e.g., checkers, stickers, points)

• Create a list of back-up reinforcers (e.g., computer time, swimming outings, etc) that the student can purchase with the tokens and how much each back-up reinforcer costs (e.g., computer time costs 5 tokens, swimming outings cost 25 tokens, when you earn 5 stickers than the student can purchase a candy bar after the shopping trip)

• Review the expectations, target behavior, tokens, and back-up reinforcers with all staff members, adults, and the student.

• At first, provide immediate exchanges when target behaviors occur (i.e., when the student displays the target behavior, the adult will give the student a token, the token will then be immediately exchanged for a back-up reinforcer).
  

As time increases, tokens will be exchanged after specific events/activities (e.g., outings, completion of work, end of the school day) and a specific amount of tokens will be required (e.g., five tokens for the reward or level systems where a certain amount of tokens are required for different sets of activities (i.e., two tokens for computer time or ten tokens for a walk outside)) (Shaping)

Token Economy Templates

Free token economy templates, ideas, and step-by-step directions provided on the following web-sites:

HOW TO MAKE A TABLE TOP TOKEN BOARD:
http://www.educateautism.com/make-your-own-teaching-aids/make-a-table-top-token-economy.html

BOARD MAKER TOKEN BOARDS:
https://www.boardmakershare.com/Activities/Search/?SearchText=token%20economy

HOW TO CREATE A TOKEN BOARD WITH VIDEO ON HOW TO USE:
http://www.silverliningmm.com/specialneeds/tokenbrds_default.html

SAMPLE BOARDS & IDEAS:
http://www.nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/TeachingBehaviorManagement.html

FREE PRINTABLE RAINBOW TOKEN BOARD:
http://communicatepa.wikispaces.com/Autism+%26+Communication

THEMATIC TOKENS:
http://www.abaresources.com/free2.htm

WORK PACER STICKER AND PUNCH CARDS:
http://www.tinsnips.org/Pages/makeandtake.html

FREE PRINTABLE STICKERS AND STICKER CHARTS:
http://www.stickersandcharts.com/

Why Use Token Economies?

There are Many Reasons to use a Token Economy:

• Promotes Independence and Responsibility (e.g., the student learns to save tokens to purchase larger backup reinforcers (e.g., swimming outing, pizza party), the student learns to plan ahead, backup reinforcer list can contain desired independent skills (e.g., walking down the hall by him/herself)

• Easy to Use (i.e., the token economies do not require a large amount of materials, backup reinforcers can contain simple items, objects, and activities)

• Utilizes Positive Reinforcement Techniques (e.g., the focus is on positive reinforcement rather than punishment or the student is given something for utilizing appropriate and desirable behaviors rather than losing items/objects/activities)

• Focus is on the appropriate behaviors (e.g., display of inappropriate behaviors are placed on extinction and appropriate behaviors are given attention to and reinforced)

• Can be utilized in multiple environments and behaviors (i.e., token economies can be utilized in the home, school, and community environments and are not just limited to one specific environment or behavior)

• Incorporates the use of Social Reinforcement (i.e., an adult is the one that presents the token to the student and exchanges the tokens with backup reinforcers with the student therefore, token economies are paired with social reinforcement)

• Utilizes Shaping Techniques (i.e., the student is not expected to perform the behavior correctly and appropriately at first but to increase in display of appropriate behaviors as time and expectations grow)

• Requires Consistency (i.e., the adults (e.g., parents, teachers) must be consistent with the expectations, behaviors, and backup reinforcers discussed and outlined in the token economy agreement with the student. This enhances the effectiveness of the token economy.)

Home Creations

Here are some ideas you can easily create and use in a Token Economy

• Use a jar or piggy bank and give the student pennies. The pennies can be counted and exchanged for back-up reinforcers (either from a list or previously determined)

• Similar to pennies, students can earn “dollars.” The dollars can be renamed (e.g., Bucco Bucks) for classroom themes, family names, or school logos and exchanged for back-up reinforcers or items.Make and laminate foot prints.

• Foot prints can be given to the student. After pre-determined amount of foot prints are earned, the student can exchange them for a “treasure hunt.” The treasure hunt (e.g., treasure box) contains the students back-up reinforcer.

In the Community…

Here are some specific examples on how you can utilize Token Economies within Community Environments

At the Grocery Store:

• The grocery store is a busy place with a lot of people, excitement, and objects all around. There are also a lot of demands placed on a child; remain in the seat, remain quite, keep hands in the cart, follow my directions. We all know that it can be a difficult place for a child to maintain appropriate behaviors. However, a token economy system can be of use to assist with the display of the appropriate behaviors in the grocery store. Prior to the outing to the grocery store, plan a target behavior, criteria, and back-up reinforcer for your child. Upon entrance to the store, state the expectation and then utilize the system in the store and bring stickers and a piece of paper with you. When your child displays the target behavior (e.g., remain sitting in the shopping cart) give your child a sticker ( and at first, also pair it with an edible reinforcer (e.g., skittle)). Have your child place the sticker on the paper and display it so that he/she can see. Remind your child of the expectation, the chart, the pre-determined number of stickers that need to be earned, and the back-up reinforcers. When you state these, make sure you state is positively (i.e., as an expectation, “Don’t forget we are sitting in our grocery cart,” “Don’t forget when we earn five stickers we will trade them for a —“). When the grocery shopping trip is over (i.e., when you are in line), count up the stickers and determine if your child has met the criteria. Reinforce your child, with the meeting of the criteria, with a back-up reinforcer.

• Suggestions–(utilize items that can be purchased at the grocery store (e.g., candy) therefore the reinforcement can occur immediately, especially at first utilize a “level system” for the back-up reinforcers (e.g., two stickers=gum, four stickers=candy bar, eight stickers=DVD), make sure that the child has opportunities to display the appopriate behavior throughout the grocery store trip, be consistent with both your expectaitons and reinforcers.

In the car:

• The car ride is another environment that can elicit various behaviors, specifically with children with Autism. Again, a token economy (most likely paired with other interventions such as games/songs) can promote appropriate behaviors during the car ride. I suggest utilizing a Velcro board or a sticker board that is placed on clip board and that which ever “board” you choose that it remain within the car. Again, the back-up reinforcer may be most effective if it something that the student can use either in the car (e.g., portable DVD player) or as soon as the car ride is over (e.g., computer time in the house). The to the effectiveness of the token economy is to make sure that the behaviors are clearly defined, the child knows why he/she is receiving the tokens, the child knows the value (i.e., exchange) of the tokens, and consistency is maintained.

• Here is a specific example– Target Behavior: The child keeps his seat belt on independently, Token System: velcro board with DVD player as the reinforcer, after three velcro pieces have been earned, Back-Up Reinforcer: DVD player in the car. The parent notices that her child does not keep his seat belt on during car rides, unless given constant reminders. The parent decides that she is going to target keeping the seatbelt on by drawing attention to the keeping of the seat belt and providing reinforcement to the seat belt being on. The parent, at the same time, is going to not verbally redirect the student when the seat belt is off. Prior to the car ride, the parent sets that expectation to her son, “We are going to go on a car ride. Remember, you are going to keep your seat belt on. When you keep your seatbelt on, you get tokens. After three tokens, you get the DVD player.” The child and parent get in the car. As the parent drives, her son has his seat belt on; the parent gives him a token. This continues two more times. The parent draws attention to the token board, “Look you earned, one, two, three tokens! Nice job keeping your seat belt buckled!!! Here is the DVD player.” The parent gives her son ten minutes with the DVD player and then provides more opportunities to keep the seat belt on and earn more tokens/back-up reinforcers. As time and success continues, the number of tokens increase.

• Suggestions–During first attempts with the token economy system, provide primary reinforcers (e.g., candy, water) when the tokens are given so that the tokens become reinforcing in themselves, utilizing shaping to increase what the appropriate behavior looks like and the expectations, set expectations prior to every trip.

At a restaurant:  

• In the restaurant a child is expected to utilize a soft voice, remain in the seat throughout the duration of the meal, use manners (e.g., saying please and thank you) among other behaviors. I encourage you to use token economies at the restaurant to promote some of the above target behaviors. Like the other scenarios, it is best to use a system that is transportable and easy as well as back-up reinforcers that can be immediate (i.e., given to the child at the restaurant or in the car). Some examples of possible back-up reinforcers include extra purchases of the menu items (e.g., desserts, drinks, appetizers), using a portable game system in the restaurant or car, and going for a walk in or outside the restaurant. As suggested before, a level system of reinforcers can be used–three tokens for a dessert, five tokens for an appetizer, etc.

• At first, provide primary reinforcement (i.e., reinforcers that do not have to be “learned” (e.g., food, water) and one-to-one reinforcement (i.e., immediate exchange of the token for the back-up reinforcer)

• Provide many opportunities to promote the appropriate behavior and for the child to earn tokens

• Set expectations of what behavior is expected to be displayed and what will be earned when that happens

• Pair with other types of interventions (e.g., playing games, extinction)

In the Home…

Here is a specific example on how you can utilize Token Economies within Home Environment:

 

• At Dinner Time:

Many behaviors occur at dinner time; difficulty sitting, refusing to eat all of the food, etc. Again, pairing these behaviors with positive reinforcement can make dinner time less of a battle and more enjoyable for both parties! Since you are in the home environment, you can use one of the Velcro board ideas. A good example of using a token economy at the dinner table would be to discuss and set the behavior (e.g., eating required amount of food), telling your child the expectation and the reward (e.g., okay “Billy” we are going to eat one scoop of potatoes, one scoop of carrots, and a piece of chicken and earn five tokens. When we earn five tokens then you can be excused and have 5 minutes of television time), provide tokens when the expected behaviors occur, and then cash the tokens in for the backup reinforcer (e.g., in this case 5 minutes of bonus television time and being excused from the table). Be careful, especially in this scenario, about placing additional demands and requirements on your child.

I can use them….

In the Community:

• At the zoo
• At the library
• At a wedding
• At a birthday (or another type of) party

In the Home:

• Getting ready for bed
• Completing Homework