Fifty-four middle and lower class, black and white adolescents were observed interacting with their mothers during a discussion of seven child rearing problems. Maternal references to a range of disciplinary measures were identified, analyzed, and related to the subjects' scholastic performances. A factor analysis of process measures confirmed earlier findings based on self-report data concerning parental disciplinary style. Low socioeconomic status (SES) mothers who participated in an early age intervention and upper middle class mothers tended to be less punitive than those in the low SES untreated group. Black mothers were less permissive than those in the white group. Parental disciplinary style was found to be significantly related to school performance. Results are discussed in terms of: (1) the development of methodological procedures for interaction analysis in semistructured, ecological research and for the evaluation of process variables in early age intervention follow-ups; and (2) theory relating disciplinary style to intellectual development. Thirty references are listed. (Author/RH)