Guidelines for Establishing and Maintaining Token Economies

Page 1

  • Token economy = structured system exchanging tokens for reinforcers to shape behavior.
  • Suitable when less-intrusive methods fail (mild problems) or from day one for moderate/severe cases.
  • Core planning stages:
    1. Identify target behaviors
    2. Specify/select reinforcers
    3. Choose token type & reinforcement schedule
    4. Plan token distribution & redemption
    5. Initiate/teach system
    6. Plan inflation (fading)
  • Prioritize teaching positive skills (e.g., "raise hand" vs. "don’t call out").
  • Target behaviors must be observable, countable, measurable; aim for ≥90%\ge 90\% inter-observer agreement.

Page 2

  • Choose behaviors that generalize across settings and enhance social acceptance; involve students in selection, especially older ones.
  • Select reinforcers via student inventories; categories:
    • Tangible/edible
    • Activity
    • Social
  • Start with high-value tangible/activity items; transition toward social/academic reinforcers.
  • Token design rules: inexpensive, hard to duplicate, age-appropriate (e.g., chips for young, point sheets for secondary). Consider individualized or wall-posted tokens to deter theft.
  • Reinforcement schedules:
    • Continuous 1:11:1
    • Fixed ratio (e.g., 1:51:5)
    • Variable ratio (avg.)
    • Fixed interval (time-based)
    • Variable interval (avg. time)
  • Use continuous/fixed schedules to build new behaviors; shift to variable to maintain.
  • Pair every token with immediate social praise for added power.
  • Avoid punishment/response-cost when possible; focus on earning, not losing, tokens.

Page 3

  • Token distribution: fast & unobtrusive (pocket chips, wall stickers, teacher-held record sheets).
  • Redemption scheduling: hourly/daily/weekly; post clear cost menu; decide on carry-over and saving options.
  • Ledger or bankbook prevents loss/theft when saving for large items.
  • Lottery option: tokens convert to tickets; periodic drawings stretch limited resources and keep all students engaged.
  • Group contingency: class earns group tokens (e.g., marbles in jar) for universal behavior → shared reward; leverages peer support and saves teacher time.

Page 4

  • Student training: explain rules, post charts, provide manuals; run practice sessions, role-plays, peer teaching.
  • Gradual rollout: start with a few target behaviors, add more weekly.

Page 5

  • Inflation (fading):
    • Decrease token value or exchange frequency
    • Remove some reinforcers
    • Shift to self-reinforcement
  • Link behaviors to natural consequences through specific feedback to ease transition ("Homework completion → test AA").
  • Ethical use: aim to increase student freedom, respect cultural/community norms, and ensure behaviors are truly maladaptive.
  • Secure parent consent/involvement for stronger, consistent programming.
  • Pre-implementation checklist covers: behavior definitions, reinforcer selection, distribution/redemption logistics, record keeping.

Page 6

  • Well-planned token economies reduce disruptions and boost academic engaged time.
  • Provide concrete self-evaluation for students and free teachers to teach.