MOST DESCRIPTIONS IN THE LITERATURE OF THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR ABUSED CHILDREN FAIL TO NOTE SPECIFIC TREATMENT TECHNIQUES. THE INITIAL GOAL OF INTERVENTION WITH THESE CHILDREN IS TO PREVENT FURTHER MALTREATMENT AND SCAPEGOATING, AND THIS MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY STRENGTHENING PARENTAL FUNCTIONING WHERE POSSIBLE OR BY TEMPORARY REMOVAL OF THE CHILD FROM THE HOME IF THE ABUSIVE ENVIRONMENT PROVES RESISTANT TO CHANGE. THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION MUST DEAL WITH MAJOR PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILD ABUSE: ACUTE TRAUMATIC REACTIONS, IMPAIRED EGO FUNCTIONING, DISTORTED OBJECT RELATIONS, POOR IMPULSE CONTROL, LOW SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR, EXTREME SEPARATION ANXIETY, AND SCHOOL DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR DISORDERS. PARENTAL FACTORS COMPLICATING THE TREATMENT OF ABUSED CHILDREN INCLUDE POOR MOTIVATION, SPECIFIC DENIAL OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVIATION OF THE CHILD, FEAR OF RELINQUISHING SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CHILD, COMPETING WITH THE CHILD FOR DEPENDENCY GRATIFICATION, AND FEAR OF THE CHILD'S IMPROVEMENT. THE CLINICAL FINDINGS OF PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION WITH 20 ABUSED CHILDREN SUGGEST THAT THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES AFFECT THE NATURE AND OUTCOME OF THE TREATMENT PROCESS: AGE OF THE CHILD AT THE ONSET OF ABUSE, DURATION OF ABUSE, AGE AT ONSET OF THE INTERVENTION, AND SEX OF CHILD AND ABUSER. ONE OF THE PRIMARY VALUES OF PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION WITH ABUSED CHILDREN INVOLVES THE ABILITY TO MODIFY PERSISTING PATHOLOGICAL OBJECTS AND IDENTIFICATIONS THAT ARE INTERNALIZED SO THE CHILDREN EVENTUALLY CAN ACCOMMODATE THEMSELVES TO AN AVERAGE PREDICTABLE ENVIRONMENT AND ATTAIN THE CAPACITY TO LOVE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. COUNSELING AND SPECIAL CHILD-REARING ADVICE TO PARENTS, FOSTER PARENTS, AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL CARE OF ABUSED CHILDREN SHOULD COMPLEMENT INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)