Utilizing 590 mothers and 175 fathers receiving services through the Army New Parent Support Program (NPSP) at 27 Army installations, this study provided evidence for differences between mothers and fathers in the prediction of child abuse potential. Six self-report measures commonly used in child maltreatment research were chosen in order to identify differences on child abuse potential between mothers and fathers. The study provided further evidence for differences between mothers and fathers in the prediction of child abuse potential. Poor marital adjustment, dissatisfaction with social support networks, and low family cohesion predicted child abuse potential for mothers but not for fathers. For both mothers and fathers, depression, stress surrounding parenting, and family conflict predicted child abuse potential. The findings suggest that depression is an equally important risk factor for both mothers and fathers. Future research recommends more closely examining mother-father differences in the risk for child maltreatment.