THE BATTERED WOMEN SYNDROME IS NOW RECOGNIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF DISEASES, AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION'S INTEREST IN THIS COMPLEX PHENOMENON IS INCREASING. A WASHINGTON STATE'S HOSPITAL PHYSICIAN CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF BATTERED WOMEN TREATED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR DIAGNOSIS, DEFINE THERAPY, AND CONCEPTUALIZE A THEORETICAL MODEL OF THE BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME. A TOTAL OF 620 ADULT WOMEN VOLUNTEERS AND 30 ACUTELY BATTERED ADULT WOMEN WERE STUDIED DURING A 10-WEEK PERIOD. THE VOLUNTEER GROUP INDICATED THAT 35 PERCENT OF WOMEN WITH ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS HAVE HISTORIES OF BATTERY. PSYCHIATRIC HISTORY IN EITHER PARTNER, PARENTAL DIVORCE AND BATTERY, ALCOHOL AND/OR DRUG USAGE, SIGNIFICANT CRIMINAL HISTORY, MARRIAGE COUNSELING, AND DIVORCE WERE IDENTIFIED AS SIGNIFICANT CORRELATES WITH SPOUSE ABUSE. A SURVEY OF HISTORICAL AND PHYSICAL FINDINGS AND A REVIEW OF CURRENT LITERATURE ARE INCLUDED. EIGHTEEN REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.