title: A behavioral program for the treatment of chronic patients.
abstract: The authors report the development of a short-term behavioral therapy program for chronically hospitalized schizophrenic patients who had responded only minimally in a therapeutic community. The basic program was a token economy, which concentrated on personal care activities, productive activities, and leisure activities, combined with drug treatment. During the first 9 months of the program 105 patients were admitted and 79 were discharged--24 to nursing or group homes and 47 to their own home or family. At 1-year follow-up 62 patients were still in the community without any readmissions. The findings that a token economy can be effective with chronic patients at comparatively little additional expense has broad implications for custodial care facilities with limited resources.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D014040:Token Economy