Self-evaluation by adolescents in a psychiatric hospital school token program

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Child Psychiatry

Background:

• Adolescent boys in psychiatric settings often exhibit disruptive classroom behavior.
• Understanding effective interventions for disruptive behavior is crucial for academic and social development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of self-evaluation and token reinforcement on disruptive behavior in adolescent boys.
• To determine if self-evaluation alone or in conjunction with token reinforcement can reduce disruptive classroom conduct.

Main Methods:

• A token reinforcement program involving self-evaluation was implemented with nine adolescent boys.
• Behavioral data were collected through self-ratings, teacher ratings, and independent observer evaluations.
• The study assessed the effects of self-evaluation alone, token reinforcement alone, and a combination of both.

Main Results:

• Self-evaluation ratings correlated highly with teacher and observer ratings but did not reduce disruptive behavior.
• A token reinforcement program, where teachers rated behavior and students earned points for prizes, significantly reduced disruptive actions.
• When students could self-evaluate and receive rewards, disruptive behavior rates returned to baseline levels.

Conclusions:

• Token reinforcement is an effective strategy for managing disruptive behavior in this population.
• Self-evaluation alone is insufficient for behavior modification; external reinforcement is necessary.
• Combining self-evaluation with external rewards may undermine behavior change efforts.