VOLUNTEER SUBJECTS WERE RECRUITED BY PUBLIC ADVERTISING IN THE WASHINGTON D.C. AND BALTIMORE, MD., AREAS. THE 31 RESPONDENTS (SUBJECTS) WERE GIVEN AN INTERVIEW TO GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE INCEST CIRCUMSTANCES. THE INTERVIEW INCLUDED QUESTIONS ABOUT FAMILY BACKGROUND, SEVERITY OF SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM AFTEREFFECTS OF INCEST, DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUBJECT, AND PERSONALITY TYPE. FINDINGS REVEALED DIFFERENCES FROM COMPARISON STUDIES ON DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ALTHOUGH OTHER VARIABLES OF THE INCEST EXPERIENCE WERE SIMILAR. THE IMPACT OF INCEST WAS FOUND TO BE HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE AND NOT TOO PREDICTABLE. YOUNGER VICTIMS HAD MORE SEVERE REACTIONS INVOLVING PERSONAL IDENTITY AND RELATIONS TO MEN AS WELL AS AN OVERALL IMPACT OF THE INCEST EXPERIENCE. THIS DATA SUPPORTED REPORTS THAT THE YOUNGER THE CHILD, THE MORE SEVERE THE REACTION TO INCEST. WOMEN WHO SOUGHT POSTINCEST THERAPY REPORTED MORE SEVERE REACTIONS TO THERAPY THAN WOMEN WHO DO NOT UNDERGO THERAPY. THE STUDY ALSO DEMONSTRATED THAT WOMEN WHO HAD INCESTOUS EXPERIENCE WOULD VOLUNTEER TO DISCUSS THEIR EXPERIENCE AND ITS IMPACT IN THE RESEARCH SETTING. THE STUDY SUBJECTS WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHICALLY AND DIFFERENT FROM SUBJECTS OF STUDIES THAT UTILIZED MORE TRADITIONAL METHODOLOGY AND POPULATIONS. THE FINDINGS SUPPORT THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE METHODOLOGIES AND SAMPLES IN THE STUDY OF INCEST AND ITS IMPACT. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.