A process study was conducted in two phases to measure the effects of whether a mother's participation in a Toughlove program improved her child's behavior. During phase 1, small-group Toughlove meetings were used for observation and then were tape-recorded and transcribed. Transcriptions were coded to identify instances of social support; encouragement of assertiveness; emotional separation from adolescents; and help in overcoming a sense of guilt. In phase 2, 75 individuals from 8 states who participated in similar training workshops responded to a questionnaire exploring variables similar to those coded by observers. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data suggests that, for these parents, regaining control of their families was a complex problem. Among nonassertive mothers, gains in assertiveness are significant. When nonassertive mothers entered the Toughlove program, they were offered new behavioral repertoires. Within six months, their children's antisocial behaviors declined. Results suggest that community support and validation represent a crucial variable that provides the support to improve adolescent behavior. Results also point to the fact that quantitative and qualitative methodologies properly reinforce one another. While each approach alone may be necessary, it is in combination that they illuminate the interactions between parent-child processes and community supports. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 16 references.) (Author/JDM)