The participants all came from North Carolina and South Carolina. The analysis focused on 749 North Carolina births who resided in the State more than 6 months and used logistic regression with backward elimination procedures. The best predictors of a maltreatment report were maternal education, the number of other dependent children in the home, the receipt of Medicaid, maternal depression, and whether the mother lived with her own mother at age 14 years. Further analysis revealed an interaction effect between stressful life events, as measured by life event scores, and social well-being. For children born at risk for social problems, medical problems, or both, extreme low income, low maternal education, maternal depression, the presence of any other young children in the home, and a mother's separation at age 14 years from her own mother significantly predicted child maltreatment reports in the first year of life. In addition, stressful life events, even if perceived positively, may increase or decrease the risk of maltreatment reports, depending on the presence of social support. Tables, figures, and 68 references (Author abstract modified)