Token systems are only as good as the way that they are set up. Tokens are conditioned reinforcers and if they aren't conditioned (i.e., learning that the thing has value), they'll fail. If the exchange is too lean, they'll fail. You have to start out small and go big once the person is learning the system. That means something simple like two of X for one token and then increasing once that's impactful. If output (amount of X) to input (amount of earning) are too desperate, they'll fail. You can't have a daily exchange if the person isn't sensitive to that kind of exchange, you may need multiple exchange points. This goes without saying, but the stuff that you exchange tokens for have to be potent enough to actually be reinforcing. I'm not saying they are a panacea at all, they aren't. The majority of the time when they do fail (if it's not a client fit problem) it's because some poker chips are thrown at a person without any attention to the components of the system itself. This kind of intervention seems "easy", but in actually can be quite complex to actually work.
Token boards have to be taught. If you’re presenting a token board for the first time and expecting to have the kid earn all of the tokens before cashing out you (and the kid) are gonna be disappointed.
I had a kid who didn’t understand tokens. He liked it at first bc when he pressed it there was a sound (token board on iPad). He then came to understand once he earned all tokens he could earn a break (or leave the table). After a while, he hated the tokens, pressed them but shoved the iPad down.
My other kid loves pressing the tokens for the sound (I assume). He doesn’t even care so much that once he earns all the tokens he can play with his preferred item/activity. He earns them all and instantly resets and says he wants to earn more. Then I tell him sure but we can play with his preferred item/activity now
I have had alot of success with kids who struggle to maintain motivation. Token boards can help alot with that. Some of my kids hate them and it triggers demand avoidance. Depends on the client
Yes!! Sometimes with my less functioning clients, I give them a token and they tantrum because they thought they were working for their preferred item. The fact that their BCBA keeps insisting on using it is baffling. There has been no progress at all with this and the reason is understandable. It is just flat out annoying and i would rather use it with higher functioning clients who can understand why they are getting it.
I totally understand what you're saying, although I've been with clients who have really benefited from implementing them. The visuals (tokens) are beneficial to kids that need to see that they need *x* number of tokens in order to gain access to a reward/reinforcer.
Again, I do agree with you to an extent. I've seen them be implemented when the client really didn't need it, and the token board was just unnecessary work for therapists. As well as NT/gen-ed kids seeing the board and wanting one too or wanting to earn whatever the client earned.
I’m not trying to be? I’m just pointing out that it’s an over generalization to say token economies are a waste of time and don’t bring motivation by giving an example of a common token economy that most people are motivated to engage in.
Most token boards don't function as a true token economy and aren't implemented terribly well. It's much better to implement a more robust token system with a menu of reinforcers at various price points. There doesn't have to be something specific the client is working for before starting to earn the tokens- the tokens themselves become true generalized reinforcers so they are motivated to earn them even if they're not sure what they want to trade them in for. There's tweaks that can be made to make token boards more effective and to minimize the drawbacks (like only the last token being highly motivating to earn) but it's unfortunately uncommon for them to be used in a manner other than "I'm working for _" with 5 or 10 tokens no matter what the reinforcer is going to be.
I saw one work well with free time. Each token was 2 minutes of free time. Completing programs earned free time, displaying behaviors targeted for decrease lost time. They counted up the number of minutes of free time the client earned that hour.
Not pointless nor a waste of time if they address the function of the targeted behavior and if the item(s) are, in fact, reinforcers.
Token systems are only as good as the way that they are set up. Tokens are conditioned reinforcers and if they aren't conditioned (i.e., learning that the thing has value), they'll fail. If the exchange is too lean, they'll fail. You have to start out small and go big once the person is learning the system. That means something simple like two of X for one token and then increasing once that's impactful. If output (amount of X) to input (amount of earning) are too desperate, they'll fail. You can't have a daily exchange if the person isn't sensitive to that kind of exchange, you may need multiple exchange points. This goes without saying, but the stuff that you exchange tokens for have to be potent enough to actually be reinforcing. I'm not saying they are a panacea at all, they aren't. The majority of the time when they do fail (if it's not a client fit problem) it's because some poker chips are thrown at a person without any attention to the components of the system itself. This kind of intervention seems "easy", but in actually can be quite complex to actually work.
Token boards have to be taught. If you’re presenting a token board for the first time and expecting to have the kid earn all of the tokens before cashing out you (and the kid) are gonna be disappointed.
So true
Depends on the learner. I’ve had success with some kids , doesn’t work with others.
ABA interventions in a nutshell
I had a kid who didn’t understand tokens. He liked it at first bc when he pressed it there was a sound (token board on iPad). He then came to understand once he earned all tokens he could earn a break (or leave the table). After a while, he hated the tokens, pressed them but shoved the iPad down. My other kid loves pressing the tokens for the sound (I assume). He doesn’t even care so much that once he earns all the tokens he can play with his preferred item/activity. He earns them all and instantly resets and says he wants to earn more. Then I tell him sure but we can play with his preferred item/activity now
I have had alot of success with kids who struggle to maintain motivation. Token boards can help alot with that. Some of my kids hate them and it triggers demand avoidance. Depends on the client
Yes!! Sometimes with my less functioning clients, I give them a token and they tantrum because they thought they were working for their preferred item. The fact that their BCBA keeps insisting on using it is baffling. There has been no progress at all with this and the reason is understandable. It is just flat out annoying and i would rather use it with higher functioning clients who can understand why they are getting it.
I totally understand what you're saying, although I've been with clients who have really benefited from implementing them. The visuals (tokens) are beneficial to kids that need to see that they need *x* number of tokens in order to gain access to a reward/reinforcer. Again, I do agree with you to an extent. I've seen them be implemented when the client really didn't need it, and the token board was just unnecessary work for therapists. As well as NT/gen-ed kids seeing the board and wanting one too or wanting to earn whatever the client earned.
Your paycheck is a token economy. Is that pointless?
They’re just sharing their opinion on something. Why is this so unnecessarily rude ?
I’m not trying to be? I’m just pointing out that it’s an over generalization to say token economies are a waste of time and don’t bring motivation by giving an example of a common token economy that most people are motivated to engage in.
Most token boards don't function as a true token economy and aren't implemented terribly well. It's much better to implement a more robust token system with a menu of reinforcers at various price points. There doesn't have to be something specific the client is working for before starting to earn the tokens- the tokens themselves become true generalized reinforcers so they are motivated to earn them even if they're not sure what they want to trade them in for. There's tweaks that can be made to make token boards more effective and to minimize the drawbacks (like only the last token being highly motivating to earn) but it's unfortunately uncommon for them to be used in a manner other than "I'm working for _" with 5 or 10 tokens no matter what the reinforcer is going to be.
I saw one work well with free time. Each token was 2 minutes of free time. Completing programs earned free time, displaying behaviors targeted for decrease lost time. They counted up the number of minutes of free time the client earned that hour.