The results of the study suggest that the majority of women (80 percent) entering the criminal justice system following an incident of intimate partner violence have also been previously psychologically abused by their spouse/partner. This included prior emotional abuse, controlling behaviors, and threats of serious harm to the victim or her children. Consistent with prior research, it was found that the vast majority (93 prevent) of women reporting prior physical aggression had been previously psychologically abused by their spouse/partner. Also, a sizable proportion (21 percent) of the women reported prior psychological aggression in the absence of prior physical abuse. This lends further support to the idea that psychological abuse may be a risk factor for subsequent physical violence. The conducting of research investigations into the occurrence and characteristics of psychological abuse in intimate relationships has been supported lending itself to the present study which sought to replicate and extend previous research findings on psychological abuse among intimate partners. Specifically, the study sought (1) to document the prevalence and characteristics of psychological abuse in a sample of 3,370 adult women assaulted by male intimate partners; (2) to identify offender characteristics associated with the use of psychological abuse; (3) to test whether psychological aggression was associated with victims’ perceptions about and responses to their relationship; and (4) to determine whether victims were more negatively affected by psychological abuse when it occurred in conjunction with physical violence. Tables, references