ABUSING PARENTS ARE USUALLY IMMATURE, LONELY PERSONS WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND LITTLE STRENGTH AS A RESULT OF NEGLECTFUL PARENTING DURING THEIR OWN EARLY CHILDHOOD. LACKING NORMAL EGO MECHANISMS OF REALITY TESTING AND MEMORY, THE POTENTIAL ABUSER USES SELF-DEFEATING DEFENSE MECHANISMS OF REPRESSION, DENIAL, AND PROJECTION. THE OPERATION OF THESE MECHANISMS PREVENTS AWARENESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE AND PERMITS THE ABUSER TO VENT ANGER AGAINST THE CHILD. FANTASIES AND ROLE REVERSAL MAKE THE EGO-DEFICIENT PARENT VULNERABLE TO INIMICAL ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES, WITH THE CHILD BEING THE SCAPEGOAT. THERAPY FOR THE ABUSER REQUIRES A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH INVOLVING A PSYCHOTHERAPIST, A SOCIAL WORKER, THE COURT, AND CHILD PLACEMENT (TEMPORARY IF POSSIBLE). BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL DEFENSE MECHANISMS OPERATIVE IN THE PSYCHE OF THE ABUSER, JUDGMENTAL APPROACHES IN TREATMENT ARE LIKELY TO BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. NONJUDGMENTAL, SUPPORTIVE, AND EMPATHETIC (WITHOUT CONDONING ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR) APPROACHES ARE MORE LIKELY TO PROVIDE A SECURITY BASE FROM WHICH ABUSERS CAN FACE THEIR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR AND ACCEPT THE NEED FOR CHANGE. PLACEMENT OF THE CHILD IN A DAY-CARE CENTER OR TOTAL REMOVAL FROM THE HOME MAY NOT ONLY HELP THE CHILD BUT ALSO RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURES OF CHILD-REARING FROM THE PARENT THAT CAN AID POSITIVE CHANGE. PREVENTIVE MEASURES UNDER STUDY ARE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR IDENTIFYING HIGH-RISK PARENTS AND A STRATEGY FOR PREVENTIVE PROFESSIONAL HELP. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED---RCB)