Amy Maladore ’16MS ’25PhD earned her master’s and PhD in behavior analysis from Simmons, and her research explores the use of behavior analytic concepts to increase recognition of racist behavior. We spoke to Maladore about what brought her to study behavior analysis at Simmons.
For Amy Maladore ’16MS ’25PhD, behavior analysis is a small field with a global reach. “I was interested in research, and in applying the science of behavior analysis beyond the typical ways that behavior analysis is currently applied,” she says.
Maladore is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® in Somerville Public Schools, working with a wide range of students.
“I consult with teachers, administrators, and other service providers to support them with students' needs. For some, it’s skill acquisition. For others, it’s behavioral management. I often work directly with students, model [techniques], and consult with the staff,” Maladore says.
Having studied psychology, gender, and sexuality for her undergraduate degree, Maladore saw behavior analysis as a framework for understanding how these concepts intersect. After earning her master’s degree in behavior analysis, Maladore says, “I came back [for the PhD in behavior analysis] because Simmons is amazing. The professors are particularly special.”
Maladore’s time at Simmons inspired her with a love for the science of behavior analysis. “I believe my work is to disseminate behavior analysis no matter where I am currently serving,” she says. “Right now, in public schools, I am practicing how to create behavior changes that are positive, meaningful, and feasible.”
Researching Racial Microaggression
Maladore’s dissertation, “A Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) to Teach Matching of Racial Microaggressions,” which she successfully defended in the spring of 2025, is an example of a unique application of behavior analysis. This research, she says, is “one small slice: identifying microaggressions, not responding to them. There is so much more to explore, especially with a topic as complex as racist or anti-racist behaviors.”
The term “microaggression” describes the common verbal or behavioral slights that, whether intentionally or not, communicate derogatory attitudes toward members of marginalized groups. The term itself wasn’t coined until the 1970s.
“Before then, we didn’t even have language for what a microaggression was. [Without the language], how do you explain it to the person on either side?” Maladore notes that microaggressions span all identities, and the term is particularly meaningful for people who have experienced them. “It’s useful to define it; it validates the experience.”
For her dissertation, Maladore pulled heavily from sociological research and the taxonomy of racial microaggressions created by Derald Wing Sue, a professor of counseling psychology at Columbia University.
Maladore shared some of the questions she asked during the process of using the PSI to identify racial microaggressions. “How do we make sure that we are talking about the same thing? Are we having a causal effect? Was this intervention effective based on these parameters?”
Maladore praised the PhD program at Simmons for being innovative and allowing candidates the ability to pursue things that align with their values. Learning about microaggressions, she says, “is meaningful to me, and really powerful, especially as a person of color.”
For a dissertation topic, Maladore advises, “you have to find something that continues to pull you in while you’re reading about it. You have to go in knowing what you want to do, but [be flexible enough] to shift and shape things to make it feasible.”
She also advises those in the PhD program to clarify their goals. “You don’t have to change the world with your dissertation; this is just one step. It’s hard to see that when you are getting into a research topic.”
Maladore worked closely with faculty member and advisor Kylan Turner throughout the process. She also found the course “Dissemination” (DABA 640), taught by Associate Professor, Chair of the Behavior Analysis Department, and Director of the Master's Program, Gretchen Dittrich, particularly helpful, as it covered the process of preparing scholarly research for publication.
“A dissertation is too long for publication, but doctoral students are typically required to publish in a journal,” says Maladore. “That course was very helpful in guiding us through the editing process.”
Behavior Analysis and Women’s Health
Maladore intends to continue a creative approach to future research projects.
“Everything is behavior!” says Maladore. “[The field of behavior analysis] allows us to find interesting, creative, and effective ways to teach [new behaviors], and it can be applied to different contexts and different populations.”
Sparked by an interest in supporting women’s health, Maladore is currently working with Associate Professor Dittrich on a research study using behavior analysis to teach breastfeeding to new parents. She notes that most people implementing their breastfeeding training are postpartum and may lack social and financial support. These issues need to be addressed when teaching new behaviors.
“It’s amazing that I can [use my behavior analysis skills] to research women’s health [in the context of] the marginalized communities we’re trying to serve,” she says.