Reducing assaults on an acute psychiatric unit using a token economy: a 2‐year follow‐up

• DOI: 10.1002/bin.134
• Publication Date: 2003-06-27T10:02:02Z
• Authors: James P. LePage; Kevin DelBen; Scott Pollard; Melanie McGhee; Linda VanHorn; James Murphy; Pamela Lewis; Ahmed Aboraya; Neil Mogge
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine

AbstractToken economies are an effective way of changing various behaviors including acquiring new skills, reducing undesired behaviors, reducing aggression, increasing treatment compliance, and improving psychiatric unit management. This study examines the long‐term effect of a token economy on an acute care, inpatient psychiatric unit. The two years following the implementation of a unit based token economy are compared with the 12 months prior to implementation. The results show a significant reduction in total assaults as well as fewer staff injuries resulting in loss of time from work. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.