A 1977 STUDY USED ACCIDENTAL SAMPLING METHODS TO DRAW A VOLUNTARY POPULATION OF 57 BATTERED WOMEN, WITH 80 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE LIVING IN SHELTERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ARIZONA AND THE REMAINDER COMING FROM OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA. ALL SUBJECTS COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES AND PERSONALITY TESTS, AND 15 WOMEN, RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE CALIFORNIA SHELTERS AND OUTPATIENT CLINICS, PARTICIPATED IN HOUR-LONG, SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH ONE OF THE RESEARCHERS. THE SAMPLE CONSISTED PRIMARILY OF WOMEN IN THEIR LATE 20'S OR EARLY 30'S. ALTHOUGH THE GROUP CONTAINED SEVERAL ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES, 70 PERCENT WERE WHITE AND 42 PERCENT WERE PROTESTANT. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE SAMPLE HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE IN EARLY FAMILY EXPERIENCES. THE OVERALL PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE OF THE SAMPLE IS THAT OF A PERSON WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM, A LACK OF CONFIDENCE, AND A TENDENCY TO WITHDRAW FROM SOCIAL INTERACTION. THIS PROFILE GENERALLY REFLECTS TRAITS DEVELOPED IN CHILDHOOD AS A RESULT OF POOR EARLY LIFE RELATIONSHIPS. THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION STEPS ON BEHALF OF BATTERED WOMEN SHOULD INCLUDE (1) ASSESSMENT OF THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS; (2) THE TAKING OF AN IN-DEPTH HISTORY; (3) REFERRAL TO APPROPRIATE RESOURCES; (4) HELP TO INCREASE THE CLIENT'S MASTERY OF HER ENVIRONMENT; (5) HELP IN LEARNING TO BE AWARE OF AND EXPRESS FEELINGS; (6) ANTICIPATE AMBIVALENCE ABOUT REMAINING IN THE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP; AND (7) OFFER A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE MODEL. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)