This tip of the week can be used to address challenging behaviors at home or school. Extinction is a strategy based on applied behavior analysis that is used to reduce or eliminate unwanted behavior. Extinction involves withdrawing or terminating the positive reinforcer (attention: verbal interaction, physical touch, body proximity) that is in response to an inappropriate behavior. This withdrawal results in the stopping or extinction of behavior. The undesirable behavior is likely to increase in frequency and intensity (extinction burst) before it goes away as the learner seeks to elicit the attention previously provided. Extinction is often used with positive praise to increase appropriate behaviors while discouraging the use of inappropriate behaviors.