THE OPENING CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK DEALS WITH NONUNIFORM DEFINITIONS OF CHILD ABUSE SPANNING SEVERAL DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING LAW, MEDICINE, AND SOCIAL WORK. FIRST, DIFFERENCES IN CHILD TEMPERAMENT, MOTHER-CHILD INTERACTION, AND CHILD PERCEPTION OF PARENTAL TREATMENT AND OF HARM ARE DISCUSSED, THEN FACTORS AFFECTING PHYSICAL GROWTH DEVELOPMENT ARE EXAMINED. LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, SLOW EARLY GROWTH, AND CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT OBESITY ARE PROBLEMS THAT CAN RESULT FROM FAULTY MATERNAL NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY, FAILURE TO TEACH CHILDREN GOOD EATING HABITS, PROVISION OF NONNUTRITIVE FOOD, AND EXTERNAL FACTORS SUCH AS DOMESTIC STRESS. IN TURN, LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, UNDERNUTRITION, OTHER VARIABLES OF EARLY TRAUMA, MATERNAL BEHAVIOR, PATERNAL ABSENCE, AND INSTITUTIONALIZATION ARE IDENTIFIED AS FACTORS WHICH CAN PRODUCE SUBNORMAL MENTAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN. PARENTAL BEHAVIOR, THE MOTHER'S, IS DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO EARLY INFANT FUNCTIONING, CHILD BEHAVIOR, AND BEHAVIOR DISORDERS. EXTERNAL FACTORS, SUCH AS THE SIZE AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF THE FAMILY, ARE ALSO RELATED TO THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN. IT IS STRESSED THAT THE DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE WILL VARY WITHIN CULTURES, AND THAT RECOGNIZABLE ENTITIES THAT CAN BE DEFINED AS CHILD ABUSE DO NOT EXIST. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF SOME VARIABLES AFFECTING MEDIATING EFFECTS OF MALNUTRITION ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT. REFERENCES CONCLUDE EACH CHAPTER. WORKSHEETS ILLUSTRATE THE STRATEGY EMPLOYED TO SEARCH TWO BIBLIOGRAPHIC COMPUTERIZED DATA BASES, MEDLINE AND THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC). AN INDEX AND A LIST OF CONSULTANTS ARE PROVIDED.