The model also emphasizes processes of daily interactions inside and outside the family rather than the more commonly used marker variables like low socioeconomic status, large family size, and social isolation. Evidence is presented showing that abusive parents typically rely on coercive patterns of family interaction and that this coercion reflects a lack of social skills. The model also proposes that a child's peer relations may function as an important causal pathway in determining whether the coercive behaviors observed in the home as a child are carried on into adulthood. Thus, adverse peer relations may reinforce the developing incompetence. In contrast, positive influences outside the family can lead to peer acceptance, increasing social competence, social support, and a discontinuation in the intergenerational cycle of abuse. Implications for theory, practice, and research and 115 references.