Token Economy

Steps for Implementing Token Economies in Schools

Token economies can be extremely effective in decreasing problem behavior and increasing prosocial behavior. However, the token economy must be clearly planned so that students are successful and the intervention can be embedded within the classroom or school routine. Essential steps in implementing a token economy include (a) clearly defining the behavior targeted for change, (b) selecting types of tokens, (c) developing a reinforcer menu and cost of items, (d) determining when to deliver the tokens, (e) selecting times when tokens will be exchanged, and (f) determining when to fade students from the token economy.

Specifying Behavior for Change

The first step in implementing a token economy is to determine which behaviors should be targeted for intervention. A wide range of behaviors has been targeted with token economies in schools, including homework completion, talk-outs, noncompliance, tardiness, aggression, and completing functional skill routines (i.e., dressing, food preparation). Once behaviors are identified, they should be well defined so that expectations are clear for teachers, students, and other school personnel. For example, noncompliance could be further defined as “not following directions first time asked within 10 seconds.” If possible, the behaviors to be changed should be stated positively, to focus on increasing desirable behavior rather than decreasing problem behavior. For example, [Page 1586]“don't touch others” could be rephrased as “keep hands and feet to self.” Further, some behaviors can be defined based on the expected criteria for performance, such as “homework completed with 80% accuracy” or “practicing math facts for 10 minutes per day.”

Selecting Tokens

After target behaviors have been well defined, the type of tokens to be used should be determined. Tokens can include anything which can be easily given and monitored; for example, points on a card, stickers, poker chips, fake money, small pieces of paper with school logos, or marbles. Tokens should be easy for the teacher to administer and difficult for students to copy or counterfeit. Young students and students with more severe disabilities may need actual tangible items for tokens, such as stickers, marbles in a jar, or other objects they can hold. With older students, check marks on a chart have been used successfully as tokens.

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