| Description |
This study investigated the effects on learning achievement in reading, English, and mathematics among individuals enrolled in a day school for emotionally disturbed boys that was part of a children's psychiatric center of a children's hospital when a level system was removed from a token economy. The regular program utilized both of these programs together and the attempt was made to investigate individual differences as they related to the removal of the level system, utilizing the token economy. Each student received points for work assignments completed in English, mathematics, and reading. A completed assignment received 10 points, a partially completed assignment received 5 points, and no points were awarded if work was not done. These points were used as a measure of school work productivity in the three subjects under each condition of the study and represented the dependent variable of the study. The study was done in an ABA baseline reversal design. In essence, it was a study of 18 individual subjects. However, instead of giving each student the same baseline, treatment, baseline approach one at a time, they were all done simultaneously and each child served as his own control. The level system involved responsibilities and privileges. The children entered this system on Level 1 and then worked their way through Levels 2, 3, and 4. As the requirements of each level were met, the students climbed upward and received progressively greater privileges. Some of the greater privileges included use of a special club room, swimming privileges, etc. Moving up the levels also meant an increase in buying power. Those on lower levels could only buy candy, whereas more attractive prizes could be purchased by those on higher levels. Data were collected and analyzed, utilizing graphs and individual case histories. The findings suggested that differences in response to the experimental treatment seemed to be related to specific psychiatric diagnoses across the basic subject matter areas. It was found that the children with case histories indicating a deficient conscience formation dropped considerably in English, mathematics, and reading when the level system was removed. The removal of the level system seemed to have little effect upon the withdrawn, passive, dependent, neurotic children. Their productivity seemed to continue about the same in their basic subjects no matter which system was used. However, the level system seemed to have a great deal of effect upon the neurotic, Opposition 1, persona city disordered children. I t seemed to reverse their regular pattern of getting attention from teachers for not doing work. Their productivity in English and reading dropped markedly when the level system was removed. Also, among the students whose work productivity dropped off the most dramatically in English and reading, was a large number of children who had specific learning disabilities. It was generally found to be true with the 18 individuals in this study that when the level system was removed from the token economy, the performance in English and reading tended to decline. Mathematics was the subject that was least effected when the level system was removed. Very few of the subjects declined in their work productivity in mathematics when the level system was discontinued. |
