Final answer:
The function of the student's problematic behavior in the scenario provided is likely to maintain access to the ball, as the parent's decision to let the student keep the ball after a tantrum reinforces this behavior, an instance of negative reinforcement.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the described scenario, the possible function of the problem behavior appears to be to maintain access to a preferred item or activity. Specifically, when the parent says "No more ball" and the student tantrums, the parent's response of letting the student keep the ball reinforces the tantrum behavior. This is an example of negative reinforcement, where the removal of an aversive stimulus (the threat of losing the ball) following the behavior (tantrum) strengthens that behavior in the future.
Behavior modification techniques like time-out are designed to decrease unwanted behaviors by removing the child from a pleasant situation, known as negative punishment. However, in the current case, the opposite is occurring; the child's behavior results in the continuation of a pleasant situation (keeping the ball), which is likely to increase the likelihood of this behavior in the future. Thus, the parent's action is inadvertently encouraging the tantrum rather than employing a behavior modification principle like a time-out to decrease the problematic behavior.