
A Behaviour Analytic Approach to Prison Rehabilitation with Valeria Pascale
Behaviour Speak with Ben ReimanShow Notes
Behaviour analysis is often associated with clinical work in autism and developmental disabilities. But what happens when the science is applied to entire institutional systems? In this episode, Valeria Pascale discusses her interdisciplinary work applying behaviour analysis inside Italian maximum-security prisons. Drawing on her background in law, psychology, and neuroscience, Valeria developed a pilot project that introduced a token economy and self-monitoring system designed to reduce aggression, property destruction, and self-injury among incarcerated individuals. The intervention was intentionally simple, low-cost, and replicable—so prison staff could maintain it after the research team left. The results were powerful. Participants quickly engaged with the program, began tracking their own behaviour, and reported improved relationships with one another. By the end of the project, many inmates requested that the program continue because they felt it was helping them communicate and manage conflict more effectively. In this conversation, we discuss:
Bringing behaviour analysis into a new institutional setting The challenges of implementing behavioural interventions in maximum-security prisons How token economies and self-monitoring can support rehabilitation Why social validity and dignity matter in prison-based interventions The potential for behaviour analysis to inform criminal justice and policy systems
Valeria also shares her plans for a second prison study examining behavioural relaxation training and anxiety reduction among incarcerated individuals. This episode is a powerful reminder that behaviour analysis is not limited to any single population—it is a science of behaviour that can inform complex social systems. This episode is presented by our founding academic partner, the Doctor of Education in the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis program at Western University’s Faculty of Education. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/XzVBBhzqI3s
Program Information: https://www.edu.uwo.ca/graduate-education/edd/applied-behaviour-analysis.html
How to apply: https://www.edu.uwo.ca/graduate-education/apply.html
Program brochure: https://www.edu.uwo.ca/graduate-education/edd/foe120_edd_aba_r1.png
Continuing Education Credits (https://www.cbiconsultants.com/shop) BACB: 1.0 LearningIBAO: 1.0 ABA TopicsQABA: 1.0 GeneralCBA/CPD: 1.0 Learning Follow us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behaviourspeak/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behaviourspeak/ Contact Valeria Pascale at ABA For Disability https://abafordisability.it/en/home/ https://www.facebook.com/abafordisability/ https://www.instagram.com/abafordisability/ Valeria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriapascale/ Links: International Behavior Analysis Association https://theibao.com/ SABA Grant https://saba.abainternational.org/grants/international-development-grant/valeria-pascale/ University of Salerno Legal Sciences https://corsi.unisa.it/scienze-giuridiche-88610/en/home Articles Discussed: Pascale, V., Pritchard, J.K., C., F.P. et al. The Effects of a DRO and Self-Monitoring Program on Prisoners in an Italian Prison. Behav Analysis Practice (2025). (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01045-0 Pascale, V., Guercio, J. M., & Cesaro, C. (2024). Implementation of interaction style training and comprehensive staff instruction in a community-based residential setting: Expanding the influence of applied behavior analysis in Italy.Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 24(1), 44–55. https://doi.org/10.1037/bar0000283 Related Behaviour Speak Episodes Episode 33: Addressing Substance Use Disorders, Poverty, and AIDS Prevention Using Behavioural Science with Dr. Shrinidhi Subramanium https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-33-addressing-substance-use-disorders-poverty-and-aids-prevention-using-behavioural-science-with-dr-shrinidhi-subramaniam-phd-bcba-d/ Episode 40: Applications of Behaviour Science to Foster Care,
More from Behaviour Speak with Ben Reiman
In this inspiring episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben welcomes Dr. Pooja Panesar, behaviour analyst, Doctor of Behavioural Health, entrepreneur, educator, and founder of Kaizora Centre for Neurodevelopmental Therapies. Born and raised in Kenya, educated in Canada, and driven by a passion for helping children and families, Dr. Panesar shares her remarkable journey from working with a single child in a small room furnished with only a table and two chairs to building leading autism and neurodevelopmental services across Kenya and Tanzania. The conversation explores the evolution of autism services in East Africa, overcoming stigma, building professional capacity, integrating cultural humility with evidence-based practice, and creating interdisciplinary systems of care. Dr. Panesar also reflects on leadership, resilience, parenting, and her vision for the future of autism services across the continent. This episode offers powerful lessons for behaviour analysts, educators, healthcare professionals, parents, and anyone interested in creating meaningful systems change. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ycA180S1EgE
What happens when psychology is viewed through the lens of Indigenous knowledge, community, language, and lived experience? In this episode, Ben welcomes Dr. Vicky Lomay, a Navajo (Diné) clinical psychologist, assessment specialist, educator, and leader in Indigenous psychology. Dr. Lomay shares her journey from engineering student to psychologist and reflects on how growing up in a bilingual Navajo household shaped her understanding of healing, wellness, and human behaviour. The conversation explores the intersections between Indigenous knowledge systems and Western psychology, including cultural impacts on assessment, diagnosis, trauma treatment, and mental health care. Dr. Lomay discusses why many traditional Indigenous healing approaches represent generations of what she calls "practice-based evidence," long before Western psychology developed similar concepts and terminology. Ben and Dr. Lomay also discuss the challenges of psychological assessment in Indigenous communities, the risks of cultural misinterpretation during evaluation, and the importance of understanding language, history, ceremony, and context when working with Indigenous clients. The episode concludes with a discussion about leadership, mentorship, and the future of Indigenous psychology through organizations such as the Society of Indian Psychologists and the American Psychological Association's American Indian and Alaska Native Section. Watch the video! https://youtu.be/3K-L9uVa6gs Connect with Dr. Vicky Lomay Tsinajini Psychology Services https://tsinajinipsych.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-t-lomay-phd-5320626/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tsinajini_psychology
What can studying perspective taking tell us about relationships, dating violence, and the experiences of neurodivergent people?
Dr. Don Togade came to behaviour analysis through a deeply personal journey, one that began with trying to better understand himself.
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Ben Reiman sits down with Indigenous educator, consultant, speaker, and entrepreneur Len Pierre. Grounding the discussion in his Coast Salish identity and his roots in Katzie First Nation, Len shares his journey of cultural reclamation, receiving his ancestral name, and learning to navigate both Indigenous and colonial worlds.