Efforts and Therapeutic Factors of Short-term Token Economy for Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenic In-patients

Ahn, Joung Sook; Lee, Yoen Duck; Bang, Hyung Suk; Park, Joung Eun; Shin, Jong Ho

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The negative symptoms of schizophrenia usually are not responsive to drug therapy to persist and make schizophrenics more difficult in their rehabilitation. The authors investigated the therapeutic effect of token economy(TET) for negative symptoms of schizophrenic patients, and attempted to develop a TET program f3r psychiatric wards in general hospital.
METHODS
Negative subscale of PANSS was rated for 35 schizophrenics with negative symptoms as their main problems before and after short-term TET(less than 3 months). Therapeutic factors were identified by comparing patient and program variables between the achieved and the non-achieved group of each level of target behaviors.
RESULTS
1) Subtotal of negative subscale of PANSS was decreased from 31.57+/-4.32 at baseline to 20.66+/-4.63 artier treatment. With TET, symptoms of difficulty in abstract thinking' and 'stereotypic thinking' were less responsive than the other 5 items of the scale Also the dose of antipsychotics prescribed was reduced to 291.21+/-287.74mg/day from 487.58+/-372.79mg/day. 2) The achievement rate of level I (self-help) was 75%, level II (ward-activity) 78%, and level III (social activity/occupation) 68%, resulting in average 74% for all target behaviors. 3) On level II, dose of antipsychotics was lower, and on level III, number of admission was lower and female sex was more frequent in achieving patient group than nonachieving group. The rate of achievement was higher in case of special flood, reception, and outing with family applied as a reinforcer on level I, and reception on level II .
CONCLUSION
These results showed that TET was effective for schizophrenic patients with negative symptoms in psychiatric ward. Further investigations to refine the individual program of TET will be needed far enhancement of it s therapeutic efficacy and smart application of it.