The most prominent risk markers for wife assault generally are childhood experiences with violence, low socioeconomic status, and alcohol use. Several factors are less prominent but can influence abusive behavior; these are anger, communication skill deficits, personality disorders, and violence toward children. The roles of stress, depression, and patriarchal norms are less clear. To identify subtypes of wife abusers, the author obtained data on 165 men being assessed for treatment due to assaults on their wives. The major sources of data were a structured interview and standardized self-report measures. The study identified three subtypes of wife abusers: those who are violent only within the family, those who are generally aggressive, and those who are emotionally volatile and periodically violent when under extreme stress. The risk factors for each of these subtypes are listed, and implications are drawn for the intervention and treatment of each subtype. 2 tables and 74 references