A Preliminary Evaluation of a Token System with a Flexible Earning Requirement
Hide the token goal and slide it as the child talks to keep language growing.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three kids with autism earned mystery tokens during snack-time chats. The researchers never told the kids how many tokens they needed to trade for a prize. They quietly raised or lowered that number as the kids talked.
The team used a multiple-baseline design across the three children. They counted new comments the kids made about the snack or each other.
What they found
Every child started talking more once the hidden-token rule began. Their rate of brand-new comments doubled. Total comments also climbed for all three kids.
No one asked how many tokens they needed. The flexible rule kept them chatting without extra prompts.
How this fits with other research
Hangen et al. (2023) showed that paired tokens work, yet they are weaker than primary reinforcers like snacks. Cihon’s hidden rule keeps the token strong by stopping kids from "gaming" the count.
Laposa et al. (2017) used the same multiple-baseline design, but with group contingencies for disruptive teens. Both studies show the design spots quick behavior change.
ASutton et al. (2022) reviewed healthcare packages for people with IDD and found most studies mix several tricks. Cihon’s flexible token could be one more tool for those multi-part plans.
Why it matters
You can run a token board without posting a fixed number. Hide the goal and adjust it as the child’s talk grows. This simple tweak keeps the reinforcer powerful and the conversation flowing. Try it during snack, play, or group work when you want more novel language.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Token systems often involve a predetermined number of tokens required prior to exchange for a terminal reinforcer. The effectiveness of token systems implemented in this manner has been well documented within the literature; however, some have discussed the possibility of a fixed earning requirement creating a context in which the learner no longer emits the desired behavior once the terminal number is achieved. A possible alternative to a fixed earning requirement is selecting the earning requirement based upon learner responding and leaving the requirement unknown to the learner until the moment of exchange. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a token system with a flexible earning requirement to increase the frequency of comments during snack for 3 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The results of a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design demonstrated the flexible token system was effective at increasing the rate of comments in addition to the cumulative number of novel comments.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2019 · doi:10.1007/s40617-018-00316-3