THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN, A CHILD PROTECTIVE AGENCY COVERING ENGLAND, WALES, AND NORTHERN IRELAND, HAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED A SERIES OF INDEPTH CASE STUDIES EXAMINING THE PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN CAUGHT IN THE MIDST OF A VIOLENT MARRIAGE. THE TITLE 'YO-YO CHILDREN' WAS GIVEN TO THE STUDY BECAUSE THIS PHRASE, USED BY ONE OF THE GRANDMOTHERS, IS DESCRIPTIVE OF THE COMMON PATTERN: A PROVOKING INCIDENT IS FOLLOWED BY ABUSE OF THE WIFE; THE WIFE RUNS AWAY TAKING ONE OR MORE OF THE CHILDREN WITH HER; SHE RETURNS; THERE IS ANOTHER PROVOKING INCIDENT; AND THE CYCLE BEGINS AGAIN. POLICE OFTEN FEEL EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AS THEY ARE CALLED REPEATEDLY TO THE SAME HOUSE. SOCIAL WORKERS FIND IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE FREQUENT MOVES OF THE CHILDREN. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS SO IRREGULAR TEACHERS FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HELP. FOUR SIGNIFICANT FEATURES ARE FOUND IN THESE HOMES. FIRST, THERE IS CONTINUAL RESTLESSNESS AND VIOLENCE WITH SEVERE CASES OF WIFE-BEATING AND OFTEN VIOLENCE AGAINST THE CHILDREN. THE CHILDREN WERE OBVIOUSLY AFFECTED IN 80 PERCENT OF CASES. SOME WERE PHYSICALLY ABUSED BY ONE PARENT WHEN THEY WERE FAVORED BY THE OTHER. THEY WERE TURNED INWARD OR, CONVERSELY, ERUPTED UNPREDICTABLY AT SCHOOL. THESE BOUTS OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR OFTEN COMPOUNDED THEIR PROBLEMS OF ADJUSTMENT. MANY WERE KEPT UP ALL NIGHT BY THEIR PARENTS' FIGHTING AND WERE UNABLE TO STAY AWAKE IN SCHOOL. A SECOND FEATURE IS THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH CHILDREN WERE USED AS PAWNS IN THEIR PARENT'S BATTLES. A THIRD FEATURE IS THE OFTEN ACTIVE ROLE PLAYED BY THE GRANDPARENTS. IN SOME CASES THE GRANDPARENTS WERE A HAVEN FOR THE CHILD AND SOCIAL WORKERS TRIED TO SEEK PLACEMENT WITH THE GRANDPARENTS. IN OTHER CASES THE GRANDMOTHER (USUALLY THE WIFE'S MOTHER) CONTINUED THE VIOLENCE OF HER OWN MARRIAGE THROUGH THE MARRIAGE OF THE NEXT GENERATION. THESE GRANDMOTHERS SET UP SITUATIONS WHICH MADE THE HUSBAND ANGRY, OFTEN CARRIED TALES OF SUSPECTED INFIDELITY, AND ASSUMED A SELF-RIGHEOUS ATTITUDE WHEN THE DAUGHTER CAME HOME WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE CHILDREN. THE PARENTS ARE DEFINITELY INVOLVED IN A TWO-PERSON GAME AND THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH THE WIFE COMES BACK TO MORE VIOLENCE AND THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH MORE VIOLENCE IS PROVOKED LEADS THE STUDY TO CONCLUDE THAT THE PARTNERS HAVE SOME PECULIAR NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP. THE BEST THE SOCIAL WORKER CAN DO IS TO CONCENTRATE ON BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHILD, ESCORTING THE CHILD TO CLINICS, TAKING THE CHILD TO THE GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE, AND MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO BE CALLED WHEN VIOLENCE OCCURS. A CONSISTENT RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE WHO TREATS THE CHILD AS AN INDIVIDUAL IS ESSENTIAL IF THE PROBLEMS OF CHILD-VICTIMS OF THIS SYNDROME ARE TO BE OVERCOME. (GLR)