DATA WERE GATHERED ON THE SUBJECTS' SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, EXPERIENCES, SYMPTOMS, AND LEVELS OF SOCIAL FUNCTIONING AND STRESS. ALL OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS CONSIDERED ARE SUPPORTED TO SOME DEGREE BY THESE DATA, AT LEAST IN A PORTION OF THE SAMPLE. THE FOLLOWING FEATURES APPEAR TO BE IMPORTANT IN THE GENESIS AND PERPETUATION OF WIFE ABUSE: (1) PATHOLOGICAL CONFLICTS OVER DEPENDENCY AND AUTONOMY, MANIFESTED IN MEN BY PARANOID CONTROLLING BEHAVIOR ('MORBID JEALOUSY') AND IN WOMEN BY ALTERNATING DEPENDENT AND COUNTER-DEPENDENT, PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR; (2) DEFICIENT IMPULSE CONTROL IN MEN, OFTEN EXACERBATED BY ALCOHOL OR DRUG; (3) A SYNDROME OF DEPRESSIVE, LEARNED HELPLESSNESS THAT ACTS AS A CRITICAL PARALYZING FACTOR IN MANY ABUSED WOMEN; (4) PRESSURED ENTRY INTO MARRIAGE; (5) DISTORTED VIEWS OF MARITAL ROLES LEARNED IN CHILDHOOD; (6) CONTINUING, SEVERE SOCIAL STRESS; (7) STATUS INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE; AND (8) SOCIETY'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE WIFE ABUSE AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FEATURE CHARACTERIZING THE SYNDROME OF WIFE BEATING APPEARS TO BE THE INTENSE, EXCLUSIVE DYADIC SYSTEM IN WHICH THE COUPLE IS ENMESHED. AS INDIVIDUALS, THE MAN MAY NOT BE VIOLENT AND THE WOMAN MAY BE UNWILLING TO TOLERATE ABUSE. BUT WHEN THE MAN AND WOMAN COME TOGETHER IN A RELATIONSHIP, A DYNAMIC IS CREATED IN WHICH VIOLENCE RECURS. THE WOMAN FINDS IT VERY DIFFICULT TO LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIP OR STOP THE ABUSE BECAUSE HER INTERACTIONS WITH THE MAN HAVE GAINED A STABLE BUT EXPLOSIVE MOMENTUM. IT APPEARS REASONABLE TO VIEW WIFE BEATING FROM A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS PERSPECTIVE, IN WHICH FAMILY VIOLENCE IS SEEN AS A FINAL, COMMON PATHWAY OF MULTIPLE DETERMINANTS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)