The general objective of this study was to determine the effects on maternal teaching styles of a weekly home-visit intervention program designed to further effective parenting of children aged 0-5, in low-income, low-education families. Assessment was made by comparing the results of the coding of video tape recordings of interactions between mothers and their 5-year-olds in their homes. The experimental group of 30 mothers who had participated in the intervention program, was compared to a control group of 10 mothers with similar low economic and educational backgrounds. The tapes included a 10-minute teaching session and 2-minute story-telling episode for each mother-child dyad. A brief review of research relating children's development to several family and parent variables is presented. The value of using video tapes for naturalistic home observation combined with an independent coding technique is noted. Experimental dyads were found to interact more often than control dyads in the areas of affect, teaching styles, togetherness, and communication. (ED)