Using an App-Based Token Economy to Increase Engagement in Daily Living and Vocational Tasks with Adults with Developmental Disabilities
ClassDojo tokens lift adult work engagement fast, but only if staff put time into setup and upkeep.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave adults with developmental disabilities an app-based token economy. They used ClassDojo on tablets to award points for doing daily living and work tasks.
Staff tracked engagement during each shift for several weeks. They also asked staff later how easy the system was to use.
What they found
Every adult started working more when the app points began. Gains stayed high for up to six weeks after training ended.
Staff said the tool worked well, but it took extra time and training to keep it running.
How this fits with other research
May et al. (2020) got similar results with a lottery app for exercise. Both studies show adults with developmental disabilities will work hard when tokens come from a phone or tablet.
McGonigle et al. (1982) used paper tokens and prompts to teach laundry skills to students. The new app replaces paper with pixels, but the token idea is the same.
Kohlenberg et al. (1976) kept token gains for fourteen months in a youth cottage. The six-week maintenance in Beahm et al. (2023) looks shorter, yet both prove tokens can stick around when the system stays in place.
Why it matters
You can boost vocational engagement tomorrow by loading ClassDojo on a tablet and handing points right as tasks happen. Plan for staff coaching up front; the minutes you spend training pay off in months of higher work output.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The token economy is an evidence-based practice that improves outcomes across populations, settings, and behaviors. Nonetheless, their complex nature frequently leads to ineffective implementation. In addition, little is known about the extent to which token economies are effective for increasing engagement in adults with disabilities. Therefore, we conducted a multiple probe across participants to evaluate the effectiveness of a token economy using an app (i.e., Class Dojo) to increase engagement with daily living and vocational tasks in adults with disabilities. All participants increased their engagement with tasks following the introduction of the intervention and maintained higher than baseline levels of engagement up to 6 weeks after the intervention ended. Staff members completed an anonymous survey to indicate their perception of the feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention. Social validity results indicated that some staff members found the intervention effective, but time-consuming and challenging.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2023 · doi:10.1007/s40617-023-00774-4