The vignettes were constructed by combining dimensions of seven case characteristic variables: type of act, level of seriousness, perpetrator status, victim age, victim sex, perpetrator account of the act, and perpetrator psychology. In comparison to other characteristics of the particular case, perpetrator accounts had little impact on the recognition and reporting of child abuse by nurses, with only two types of accounts influencing the responses of nurses. From the perspective of the suspected perpetrator, these accounts backfired, resulting in greater recognition and reporting of abuse. Interaction terms constructed of accounts and situational variables had little impact on the judgments of nurses when sexual abuse was involved but resulted in both higher and lower recognition and reporting scores when physical and emotional acts were judged. An appendix describes type and level of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. 35 references and 3 tables