Treatments for Anorexia

Token Economy Programme

Token economy programmes are a form of behaviour modification that must be used within closed institutions, such as eating disorder clinics.

• Based on operant conditioning, with target behaviours gaining rewards with the aim that they will be repeated.
• TEP is used to improve specific target behaviours related to symptoms, such as eating a full meal.
• Positive reinforcement is when a reward is given to a patient for behaviour that is desirable, such as being able to use social media for eating.
• Negative reinforcement is when something unpleasant is removed to encourage target behaviour, such as if a patient eats all their meal, they won't have to wash up.
• Desired behaviours are reinforced by ward staff giving tokens which are exchanged for privileges or treats such as access to the internet.
• Tokens are secondary reinforcers while the privileges/trets are primary reinforcers.
• The tokens should have no intrinsic value and could be in the form of plastic coins or stamps on a card. The token should be given immediately after…