Therapy Rollout Plan: Setting Up a Digital Token Economy with PointWiseSystem

Before You Start

Token economies are one of the most effective tools in behavioral therapy. PointWiseSystem digitizes the process — no more lost tokens, crumpled charts, or inconsistent tracking across sessions.

• Review the client's current goals — Map existing behavioral targets to tasks in PointWiseSystem. The system should reinforce what you're already working on.
• Choose reinforcers with the client (or caregiver) — Rewards only work if the client actually wants them. Do a preference assessment first.
• Start with immediate reinforcement — For new clients, keep the gap between earning and redeeming as short as possible. Build toward delayed gratification over time.

Step 1: Set Up Your Clients

PointWiseSystem works for individual clients or small groups. Setup takes under a minute per client.

1. Open PointWiseSystem and select the Behavioral Therapy profile. This loads therapy-appropriate task and reward templates.
2. Tap Add Earner and enter the client's first name or initials. For privacy, you can use identifiers instead of full names.
3. If you work with multiple clients, each earner has their own task list and reward shop — fully customizable per individual.

Step 2: Pick 3-5 Starter Tasks

Choose target behaviors that are observable, measurable, and already part of the client's treatment plan.

• 📋 Follow routine step — 10 pts
• 💬 Use words to communicate — 15 pts
• ⏳ Wait patiently (2 min) — 8 pts
• 🤝 Share with others — 12 pts
• ✅ Complete task independently — 15 pts

Adjust point values based on difficulty for each client. A behavior that's easy for one client may be a major milestone for another. For more on digital token economies, see our complete guide to digital token economies in ABA therapy.

Step 3: Set Up Rewards

Effective reinforcers are individualized. Use the preference assessment to stock the reward shop with items the client is motivated by.

Small Rewards (immediate reinforcement)

• ⭐ 2 minutes with preferred toy — 10 pts
• ⭐ Sticker or stamp — 8 pts

Medium Rewards (session-level goals)

• 🎯 5 minutes of tablet time — 40 pts
• 🎯 Choose the next activity — 50 pts

Big Rewards (weekly or milestone goals)

• 🏆 Special outing with caregiver — 200 pts
• 🏆 New preferred item — 300 pts

Step 4: Do a Practice Run

Walk through the system with the client (and caregiver, if applicable) before the first real session.

1. Show the client the task list on a tablet or phone. Use visual supports if needed — pair each task with a picture or icon they recognize.
2. Complete one target behavior together and award the points immediately. Let the client see and hear the feedback.
3. Open the reward shop and let the client choose a small reward to redeem right away. This first exchange teaches the contingency.

Tips for the First Week

• Reinforce immediately — Award points the moment the behavior occurs. Delayed reinforcement weakens the connection, especially early on.
• Keep the reward shop small — Too many choices can be overwhelming. Start with 3-4 reinforcers and rotate them based on preference.
• Share data with caregivers — PointWiseSystem tracks points over time, giving you a simple data trail to share in parent meetings or progress reports.
• Be consistent across sessions — If multiple therapists work with the same client, make sure everyone awards points for the same behaviors at the same values.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Setting the bar too high — If the client can't earn points in the first session, the system feels punishing instead of motivating. Start with achievable targets and shape up.
• Using the same reinforcers too long — Satiation is real. Rotate rewards regularly and re-assess preferences every few weeks.
• Skipping the caregiver buy-in — If caregivers don't understand or support the system, generalization suffers. Walk them through PointWiseSystem and show them how to check progress.