THE CASE HISTORIES OF CHILD ABUSE DESCRIBED CAME FROM THE FILES OF ODYSSEY HOUSE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY FOR ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS MANIFESTING A VARIETY OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS. THESE RECURRING THEMES ARE NOTED FROM THE CASE HISTORIES: (1) MAJOR FAMILY DISRUPTION EXPERIENCED DURING CHILDHOOD (DIVORCE, DESERTION, DEATH OF A PARENT); (2) HIGH INCIDENCE OF ALCOHOLISM AMONG PARENTS; (3) ABSENCE OF ONGOING NURTURING FROM A STRONG, OLDER MEMBER OF THE FAMILY; (4) EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF ANTISOCIAL LIFE STYLE, WITH DRUG ABUSE A SYMPTOMATIC FEATURE. IN 1975, ODYSSEY INSTITUTE, THE PARENT ORGANIZATION FOR ALL ODYSSEY SERVICE UNITS, UNDERTOOK A MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECT TO OBTAIN MORE SPECIFIC DATA ABOUT CHILD ABUSE. THE STUDY REVIEWED THE FAMILY HISTORY OF ALL THE WOMEN (118) IN ODYSSEY PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE THE PREVALENCE OF PRIOR INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIPS. THE WOMEN CAME FROM 26 STATES AND WERE BEING TREATED FOR A VARIETY OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS. OF THE 118 WOMEN 52 CLIENTS (44 PERCENT), RANGING FROM 13 TO 42 YEARS OF AGE, REPORTED BEING INVOLVED IN AN INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP. THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WOMEN WERE 12 YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER AT THE ONSET OF INCESTUOUS ACTIVITY. THE 1975 STUDY WAS FOLLOWED UP IN JANUARY OF 1976 TO REVEAL THAT OF 237 (152 MALES, 85 FEMALES) RESIDENTS IN ODYSSEY PROGRAMS NATIONWIDE, 32 (38 PERCENT) OF THE FEMALES AND 38 (25 PERCENT) OF THE MALES HAD SOME KIND OF INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT A HIGH CORRELATION EXISTS BETWEEN CHILD ABUSE AND SUBSEQUENT ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING DRUG ADDICTION IN ADULTHOOD. SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILD ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE BRIEFLY MENTIONED. (RCB)