THE CULTURALLY SANCTIONED USE OF PHYSICAL FORCE IN CHILDREARING, POVERTY AND DISCRIMINATION, DEVIANCE IN BIOPHYSICAL AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING, AND CHANCE EVENTS ARE CAUSAL DIMENSIONS OF PHYSICAL CHILD ABUSE. THE GENERAL CAUSAL MODEL OF DEVIANCE, ENCOMPASSING A COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOSOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF CHILD ABUSE, DEFINES PHYSICAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN AS THE INTENTIONAL USE OF PHYSICAL FORCE OR NONACCIDENTAL ACTS OF OMISSION ON THE PART OF A PARENT OR OTHER CARETAKER IN INTERACTIONS WITH A CHILD THAT ARE AIMED AT HURTING, INJURING, OR DESTROYING THAT CHILD. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY IN ASCERTAINING THE PRESENCE OF ELEMENTS OF INTENTIONALITY, AND THE DEFINITION OF PHYSICAL ABUSE IS DESIGNED TO AVOID THE RELATIVITY OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND JUDGMENTS. SELECTED FINDINGS FROM NATIONWIDE SURVEYS PERTAIN TO THE SCOPE OF CHILD ABUSE, CHARACTERISTICS OF LEGALLY REPORTED ABUSED CHILDREN, FAMILIES OF ABUSED CHILDREN, INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THEM, AND OFFICIAL ACTIONS FOLLOWING ABUSE. BASED ON LEGALLY REPORTED INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE, TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE WERE CATEGORIZED ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING FACTORS: PSYCHOLOGICAL REJECTION, ANGRY AND UNCONTROLLED DISCIPLINARY RESPONSES, MALE BABYSITTER ABUSE, PERSONALITY DEVIANCE AND REALITY STRESS, CHILD-ORIGINATED ABUSE, FEMALE BABYSITTER ABUSE, AND CARETAKER QUARRELS. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE MODEL FOR SOCIAL POLICY ARE DISCUSSED, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE CONTENTION THAT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN CONSTITUTES A SEVERE INFRINGEMENT UPON THEIR RIGHTS AS MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. COMPONENTS OF A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF CHILD ABUSE AND ALSO FOR HELPING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ONCE CHILD ABUSE HAS OCCURRED ARE OUTLINED. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)