APPLIED RATHER THAN BASIC RESEARCH WAS EXAMINED FOR THIS ANALYSIS OF RECENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT STUDIES. THE VAGUENESS AND AMBIGUITIES THAT SURROUND THE DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT MAKE THE DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM A CENTRAL ISSUE. COMMONLY USED DEFINITIONS, LEGAL DEFINITIONS, COURT DECISIONS, AND RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED IN ORDER TO ILLUSTRATE THE LACK OF CONSENSUS AMONG PROFESSIONALS ON THE DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. DISAGREEMENT WAS INDICATED BY: (1) THE FAILURE OF SOME TO DEFINE AS ABUSIVE OR NEGLECTFUL INDIVIDUAL CASES THAT OTHERS PUT INTO THIS CATEGORY; (2) EMPIRICAL DATA ON DISSATISFACTION CONCERNING MUTUALITY OF DECISIONS ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL CASE. SEVERAL FACTORS ARE BLAMED FOR THIS DISAGREEMENT: PSYCHODYNAMIC REASONS, SOCIOCULTURAL PLURALISM, DIFFERING PROFESSIONAL FUNCTIONS, AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT. ESTIMATES OF INCIDENCE/PREVALENCE OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE CITED, BUT THESE FIGURES ARE SUBJECT TO WIDE DISCREPANCY PARTLY DUE TO THE DIFFERENT DATA SOURCES USED FOR ESTIMATION -MANDATED REPORTS OR HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS. THE INHERENT FAILURES OF THE REPORTING SYSTEMS ARE DISCUSSED. DATA COLLECTION IS AFFECTED BY ACCURACY OF DETECTION, PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL AWARENESS, THE DEGREE OF ENFORCEMENT, CERTAIN REPORTING BIASES, LACK OF COMPARABILITY, AND AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES. PSYCHOSOCIAL ECOLOGY HAS BEEN STUDIED AS RELEVANT TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT; INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS, LIFE SITUATION FORCES, AND CULTURAL ATTITUDES ARE EXAMINED IN THIS CONTEXT. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE ANALYZED. PREVENTION IS CONSIDERED IN THE CATEGORIES OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION. PRIMARY PREVENTION INCLUDES EDUCATION FOR PARENTHOOD, PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, AND FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES. SECONDARY PREVENTION CONSISTS OF SCREENING FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN AND FOR SPECIAL SERVICE NEEDS AND IDENTIFYING THE PROFILE OF THE ABUSER. TREATMENTS DISCUSSED ARE THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION, THE EXTENDED FAMILY CENTER, FOSTER CARE, FAMILY ADVOCACY, AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. PRIMARY CONSEQUENCES OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT ON THE VICTIM ARE OBVIOUS, BUT THERE ARE OTHER MORE SUBTLE, LONG-RANGE EFFECTS BOTH ON THE VICTIM AND ON SIBLINGS OF THE VICTIM. THESE EFFECTS AND CONSEQUENCES TO SOCIETY STEMMING FROM CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE CONSIDERED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND A SUBJECT INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)