The Effect of Token Economy in Reducing Addiction to Playing Online Games in Psychology Students at UIN Malang

Abstract

This study aims to test the effectiveness of the token economy method in reducing online gaming addiction
among college students. The study uses a single subject design with an A-B design, involving one 21-
year-old subject who, in this case, exhibited five of the six indicators of online gaming addiction, namely
salience, euphoria, conflict, tolerance, relapse, and reinstatement. The intervention was conducted over
7 days using a token method in the form of coins, which were later exchanged for cash rewards, based
on a reduction in the intensity of online gaming from a daily baseline of 5 hours. The results of this study
showed a significant decrease in the intensity of online gaming, with a final percentage of 95%, from an
average of 5 hours of online gaming activity to only 15 minutes per day. Additionally, subjects exhibited
positive behavioral changes, such as increased social activity and reduced solitary behavior. Ultimately,
this study serves as evidence that the token economy method remains effective as a behavioral
modification technique for addressing online gaming addiction among students and can serve as a
relevant intervention strategy to be applied in the current digital era.