International Journal of Education and Psychological Research

(Print and Online Peer Reviewed Journal)


Print - ISSN: 2349 - 0853
e - ISSN: 2279 - 0179

VOLUME 6 - ISSUE 1

(March 2017)

The effect of Token Economy on Negative Symptoms and Non Vocational Domains on Institutionalized Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia: A Prospective Study


Authors: Nandha Kumara Pujam

Pages: 1-6

Abstract:

The token economy is a form of treatment intervention based on principles of operant conditioning developed for the patients with schizophrenia and other chronic mental illnesses. With the help of a rehabilitation program, non-vocational domains such as self esteem and quality of life have shown improvement in patients with schizophrenia. Work was related to higher self-esteem which increases the motivation to engage in self-care behaviors that ultimately reduce negative symptoms. The present study aimed to examine the effect of vocational rehabilitation using token economy principle on negative symptoms and non functional domains of patient with schizophrenia. This was a hospital based longitudinal study conducted at Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi and purposive sampling was used. The sample consisted of 15 patients with chronic schizophrenia according to ICD-10 DCR criteria. After taking informed consent from the patient, Socio-demographic and clinical data sheet, Work Behavior Assessment Scale, The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Social Adaptive Functioning Evaluation (SAFE) Scale, The Quality of life- BREF, The Subjective Well Being Inventory, Self Esteem Scale, were administered for all the patients (Pre and Post intervention) After that the patient’s were involved in the vocational rehabilitation training using token economy principles, for six months. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16.0 version. Paired‘t’test was used to see the efficacy of intervention. Result showed that vocational rehabilitation significantly improved patient’s work behaviour negative symptoms, quality of life, self esteem, subjective well being and socio adaptive functioning.