THE INCREASE IN PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE SINCE THE 1950'S IS NOTED, AS IS THE GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT, ALTHOUGH THE CAUSES ARE NOT REALLY KNOWN, THE PROBLEM PROBABLY IS DEEPLY ROOTED AT BOTH THE PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LEVELS. THEORIES ABOUT THE CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE--LINKAGES BETWEEN OPPRESSION OF WOMEN AND MISTREATMENT OF CHILDREN, SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS, THE TENDENCY OF VIOLENCE TO BEGET VIOLENCE (ABUSED CHILDREN BECOMING ABUSING PARENTS)--ARE DISCUSSED, AND RESEARCH EVIDENCE IS CITED. THE ABILITY OF MANY ABUSING PARENTS TO MASK THEIR PATHOLOGY IS CONSIDERED, AS IS THE PHYSICIAN'S RELUCTANCE TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE CASES. IT IS NOTED THAT CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS OF BATTERING PARENTS SHOW CONSISTENT CHARACTERISTICS: EMOTIONAL IMMATURITY; POOR PREPARATION FOR PARENTHOOD; UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS; AND, ALMOST INVARIABLY, EXPERIENCE AS ABUSED CHILDREN. CALLS FOR AN END TO CULTURAL ACCEPTANCE OF CHILD-REARING PRACTICES THAT INCLUDE PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT ARE RECOGNIZED. HOWEVER, IT IS OBSERVED THAT, EVEN IF PHYSICAL ABUSE WERE ELIMINATED, PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE WOULD CONTINUE. THE NATURE OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN IS DISCUSSED, INCLUDING CASES IN WHICH BOTH PARENTS CONSPIRE IN THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF DAUGHTERS. EFFORTS OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM, THE PSYCHIATRIC ESTABLISHMENT, AND ABUSING PARENTS THEMSELVES TO UNDERSTAND AND AMELIORATE THE CHILD ABUSE PROBLEM ARE NOTED. PARENT-SURROGATE PROGRAMS AND OTHER ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT ABUSE BY OFFERING CHILD-REARING TRAINING ARE DESCRIBED. THE GROWING AWARENESS THAT CHILD ABUSE IS A SOCIAL TRAGEDY IS POINTED OUT. A CALIFORNIA STUDY IS CITED IN WHICH OVER HALF OF A GROUP OF ABUSED CHILDREN (MOST OF WHOM HAD BEEN PLACED IN FOSTER HOMES) WENT ON TO BECOME INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT, IN A SOCIAL SENSE, ANY CHILD WHO GROWS UP IN POVERTY, LIVES IN A STRING OF FOSTER HOMES THAT DO NOT MEET BASIC EMOTIONAL NEEDS, IS DENIED OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE OF RACIAL OPPRESSION, OR IS OTHERWISE MISTREATED BY ADULTS--COLLECTIVELY OR INDIVIDUALLY--IS BEING ABUSED, AND THAT ALL OF SOCIETY SUFFERS AS A CONSEQUENCE. (LKM)