The sample for the study consisted of 375 undergraduate students at two universities; 56 percent were female, 90 percent were white, and 2.7 percent were parents. Over 90 percent of the respondents reported receiving some form of physically abusive behavior from their parents or adult caretakers, 21 percent received physical abuse sequelae, and over 10 percent received some type of sexual abuse. More males reported receiving physical abuse, while more females received physical abuse sequelae and sexual abuse. The study provides correlational evidence to support intergenerational transmission hypothesis in which childhood experiences with physical abuse increase the likelihood of adult child abuse. In addition, the child abuse potential is higher in those experiencing pre-puberty violence than post-puberty violence. The findings indicate that the presence or absence of physical trauma is more important than severity in predicting adult abuse potential. Significant relationships were observed between the receipt of physically abusive behavior without sequelae, as well as the observation of both physical abuse and sequelae and adult child abuse potential. However, the overlapping of maltreatment groups confounds the modest, but significant positive correlations. The present data discounts the assumption that abuse potential manifests itself only after the abused individual becomes a parent. Abused individuals who had a caring adult or caring friend during childhood had inverse relationships with adult child abuse potential. However, the findings did not support an inverse relationship between life predictability as a child and adult child abuse potential. 3 tables, 61 references. (Publisher abstract modified)