Some experiments on reinforcement principles within a psychiatric ward for delinquent soldiers1

Preliminary report on the application of contingent reinforcement procedures (token economy) on a "chronic" psychiatric ward.

An 86-bed closed ward in a Veterans Administration hospital was used in a 2-yr. study involving the application of a "token economy." For the patients, labeled chronic schizophrenics or brain damaged, every important phase of ward life was incorporated within a systematic contingency program. Patients received tokens for performing specified desirable behaviors involving self-care, attending ac...

Some Experiments With Reinforcement Learning on Real World Robots

Chronotherapeutics in a psychiatric ward.

Psychiatric chronotherapeutics is the controlled exposure to environmental stimuli that act on biological rhythms in order to achieve therapeutic effects in the treatment of psychiatric conditions. In recent years some techniques (mainly light therapy and sleep deprivation) have passed the experimental developmental phase and reached the status of powerful and affordable clinical interventions ...

Aggressive behaviour in a psychiatric observation ward.

Episodes of aggression were monitored, using a questionnaire, for a 6-month period in the female observation ward of a General Psychiatric Hospital. The results show that: a small group of schizophrenic patients were responsible for most of the incidents; nursing staff and other patients fell victim equally frequently; few of the incidents were predictable. Psychotic symptoms appear to be the m...

Impact of boarding pediatric psychiatric patients on a medical ward.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Psychiatric disorders account for an increasing number of pediatric hospitalizations. Due to lack of psychiatric beds, patients on involuntary psychiatric holds may be admitted to medical units. Our objectives were to evaluate the rate of admission of psychiatric patients to a medical unit, psychiatric care provided, and estimated cost of care. METHODS The study invo...