title: The evolution of a token economy programme for female chronic schizophrenic patients.
abstract: Token economy programmes are becoming an increasingly familiar sight in British psychiatric hospitals, yet many remain inflexible and prone to breakdown after a period in operation. This paper describes the evolution of a token economy for female chronic schizophrenic patients, where the nursing staff with minimal 'psychological' support and in dealing with a programme free of research constraints, aimed to increase the therapeutic potential of the system. The major developments arose from the need: (i) to extinguish the emergence of undesirable behaviour; (2) to develop a more individualized approach to treating patients' problems; (3) to keep consistent adequate records; (4) to re-establish contact with the community and (5) to cater for patients' varied responses to treatment.
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D014040:Token Economy