Four Steps to Using a Token Economy at Home
Posted: December 28, 2023 | Written By: Sharmin Hossain | Category:
This blog was written by Erin Taylor, Clinic Manager, and Elisabeth Furlong, Registered Behavior Technician at Applied Behavioral Services in Cincinnati, Ohio. ABS is part of the New Story network of schools, clinics, and services.
Parenting a child with autism means finding effective strategies to promote positive behavior at home. One approach that many parents find helpful is implementing a token economy. It is a reward system where your child earns tokens or points for good behavior that can be exchanged for a desired reward later.
To set up a token economy, begin by choosing specific behaviors you want to encourage and defining the rewards that are most motivating to your child.
Select a way to track progress that will be motivating for your child, including stickers, colorful tokens, or a simple chart.
Once your child completes a task or follows a routine, they earn a token.
Tokens can be collected and traded for a special treat, extra playtime, or another preferred activity that you and your child previously agreed upon.
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