Token reinforcement during the instatement and shaping of fluency in the treatment of stuttering.

Researchers worked with three adults who stuttered. All were in an all-day fluency-shaping program.

The team gave tokens for smooth speech. Later they removed tokens, removed backup prizes, or gave tokens for free. They wanted to see if fluency stayed the same.

Fluency stayed high even when tokens stopped. Free tokens or no tokens worked as well as earning them.

In other words, the chips were extra baggage. The speech gains did not need them.

Bonfonte et al. (2020) saw the same thing. Kids pressed a lever more for candy than for new tokens. Check what the learner already wants before you add tokens.

Allison (1976) ran a classroom test. Taking tokens away later did not hurt math scores. Two very different groups, same story: tokens can be dropped.

Krentz et al. (2016) looks like a clash. Their adults with ID walked three times more laps when they got tokens. The difference is the task. Walking needs an outside push; speech fluency in an intensive program already has many built-in rewards like praise and success.

If you run fluency or other skill-building sessions, save time and money. Skip the plastic chips and backup store. Use praise, feedback, and the learner’s own progress as rewards. Watch if skills hold; if they slip, then consider other supports.