The sample included 169 adults reporting physical abuse of a child, 209 adults reporting neglect of a child, and an individually matched group of controls. The participants were part of a probabilistic survey of 11,662 individuals in four communities as part of the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiological Catchment Area Study. Results revealed that abusive and neglectful parents were much more likely than their matched control parents to report drug abuse or dependence. These differences persisted after the analysis controlled for potentially confounding factors, including depression, household size, antisocial personality disorder, and social support. Findings indicated that parental drug abuse and dependence are highly associated with child maltreatment and that agencies involved in the care of abused or neglected children and their families should consider incorporating routine drug abuse evaluations with treatment or with referral to treatment where indicated. Tables and 26 references (Author abstract modified)