Delinquency, running away, truancy, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and suicide all have been linked to abuse. Adolescent abuse often goes undetected, and even when identified, therapeutic interventions are limited. An ecological model is valuable in approaching treatment issues. Because adolescence is often characterized by conflict, some victims may contribute to their own abuse by their oppositional and provocative behaviors. Further, adolescents are likely to communicate distress through attention-seeking behaviors. Theories of family functioning in such cases, suggest differences between long- and short-term abusers. In cases of childhood onset of the abuse, the families show patterns characteristic of those found in child abuse in general. Where onset is later, families may be authoritarian with rigid parenting styles or overindulgent and permissive, coupled with sporadic attempts at control through violence. These families also often have conflictual marital relationships. More than any other victim group, abused adolescents are likely to come to the attention of the juvenile justice, the alternative youth services, and the mental health systems because of their involvement in delinquent and status offenses and related emotional and behavioral problems. 40 references.