title: Group-based preference assessment for children and adolescents in a residential setting: examining developmental, clinical, gender, and ethnic differences.
abstract: This study examines developmental, clinical, gender, and ethnic group differences in preference in residentially placed children and adolescents. In addition, this study considers whether residentially placed youth prefer stimuli currently being used as rewards as part of a campuswide token economy system and whether youth would identify preferred stimuli that are not currently offered. The article discusses a survey devised specifically for the purpose of this study. Stimuli currently offered as rewards are listed and rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Results indicate that the majority of stimuli available within the token economy system were rated as preferred. Also, significant developmental, clinical, gender, and ethnic group differences are found, indicating the benefit of considering group-level characteristics when designing and implementing a groupwide token economy system. The implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Father Flanagan's Boys Home, Boys Town, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Resetar Volz
authors.forename: Clayton R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D012112:Residential Facilities; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014040:Token Economy; D055815:Young Adult