The British Journal of Psychiatry 133: 179-181 (1978)
© 1978 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Token economy, pimozide and chronic schizophrenia
RG McCreadie, CJ Main and RA Dunlop
Response to a token economy was assessed in male chronic schizophrenic
in-patients who were given, in a double-blind cross-over trial, pimozide
(up to 20 mg daily) or chlorpromazine )up to 1,000 mg daily), each for
three months. After six months there was little change in the patients'
mental state, but general ward behaviour and token-rewarded "target"
behaviours improved significantly. There were no statistically significant
between-drug differences, but the trend was that general ward behaviour,
but not token-rewarded behaviour, improved more on pimozide. The patients
who showed initiative and cooperated best with staff were those whose
token-rewarded behaviour was most satisfactory.