A behavior management program to increase social responses in psychogeriatric patients

Abstract

Although increased numbers of psychogeriatric patients have been placed in proprietary nursing homes in recent years, many facilities have not been able to accommodate the behavioral problems involved. This study summarizes the results of a behavior management program for improving the social functioning and social behaviors of 6 psychogeriatric patients in a nursing home. The use of reinforcement by tokens substantially improved social behavior over a 10-day period; during a 10-day withdrawal of reinforcement, the level dropped precipitantly; but during the subsequent 10-day reinforcement period, substantial improvement in social functioning again was observed. Four of the 6 patients improved significantly, and after one year could be placed in a higher-level unit of the nursing home. The findings suggest that behavior management programs can be used successfully to improve the social functioning of psychogeriatric patients.