There are currently several accepted models that attempt to specify the variables that contribute to physical child abuse. These can be categorized as early single factor models, early multifactor organizational models, biological models, learning models, social/cultural models, and interactional models. This chapter describes in detail transitional, cognitive-behavioral, and social information processing models. The literature review included in this chapter focuses on perpetrator, family, and sociological characteristics that are likely to be associated with the physical abuse of children. Finally, the article summarizes current empirical findings regarding the effects of physical child abuse across the life span phases including early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. 2 tables and 127 references