Token Economies and Behavioural Change: An Evaluati on of Their Eff ecti veness on Male Children in Sri Lankan Child Development Centers

Abstract

Children residing in Sri Lankan Child Development Centers oft en confront a multi tude of emoti onal and behavioural challenges, due to traumati c experiences such as abuse, neglect, and loss and the socioeconomic problems such as poverty. These diffi culti es are exacerbated by the insti tuti onalized environment, leading to heightened vulnerability and an increased risk of developing long-term mental health issues. This study investi gated the impact of a token economy interventi on (star-chart) on conduct problems, emoti onal diffi culti es, and prosocial behaviours among male children residing in two Sri Lankan Child Development Centers. Employing a repeated measures design, 27 children aged 6-14 years were assessed using the Sinhala version of the Strengths and Diffi culti es Questi onnaire (SDQ) before and aft er one-month token economy implementati on. Results demonstrated the effi cacy of the token economy system in reducing behavioural issues and fostering prosocial behaviours. The fi ndings underscore the potenti al of this interventi on within childcare setti ngs and advocate for longitudinal research to evaluate long-term eff ects.