Incentivizing physical activity using token reinforcement with preschool children

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Pediatric Health
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Childhood obesity is a growing concern, necessitating effective interventions to promote physical activity.
• Preschool years are a critical period for establishing healthy habits, including regular physical activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of contingent and non-contingent token reinforcement on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in preschool-aged children.
• To determine if token economies can be a viable strategy for increasing and maintaining MVPA in young children.

Main Methods:

• Employed single-subject designs across four preschool-aged children.
• Compared token reinforcement delivered contingent on MVPA versus non-contingent token delivery and baseline (no tokens).

Main Results:

• Three out of four children showed higher overall MVPA levels and longer activity bouts with contingent token reinforcement compared to baseline.
• Two out of four children exhibited increased MVPA with contingent tokens compared to non-contingent token delivery.
• Contingent token delivery effectively increased and maintained MVPA compared to both baseline and non-contingent conditions.

Conclusions:

• Token reinforcement, specifically when contingent on MVPA, is an effective strategy for increasing physical activity in preschool-aged children.
• Token economies offer a promising approach to promote MVPA and can be applied to address various behavioral challenges in early childhood.