ABUSED CHILDREN GROW UP IN A HOME ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH CHILD ABUSE IS ONLY ONE PROBLEM, THOUGH A MAJOR ONE. ABUSED CHILDREN ARE OFTEN BORN TO WOMEN WHO HAVE UNREALISTIC AND DISTORTED EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT CHILDREN WILL MEAN IN THEIR LIVES. STUDIES BY KLEIN AND STERN (1971) AND KLEIN AND SMITH (1976) SUGGEST THAT ANY FACTOR WHICH INTERRUPTS THE EARLY ATTACHMENT PROCESS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND MOTHERS PLACES CHILDREN AT A GREATER RISK OF BEING ABUSED. CHILDREN WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS ALSO RAN A GREATER RISK OF BEING ABUSED: CHILDREN WHO ARE DIFFICULT TO CARE FOR; CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT OF THE SEX THE PARENTS WANTED OR WHO IN OTHER WAYS FAIL TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THEIR PARENTS; CHILDREN AT PARTICULAR STAGES IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT MAKING THEM MORE PRONE TO ABUSE; AND CHILDREN WHO INVITE ABUSE FROM THEIR PARENTS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS EVIDENT THAT SOME CHILDREN DO INVITE ABUSE, FURTHER RESEARCH IS ESPECIALLY NEEDED IN THIS AREA. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT ABUSED CHILDREN SUFFER INTELLECTUAL DEFICITS, LEARNING DISABILITIES, POOR SELF-CONCEPT, LACK OF JOY AND PLAY ABILITY, POOR SENSE OF SELF, AND DEVIANT RELATIONS WITH OTHERS. SINCE ABUSED CHILDREN OFTEN GROW UP TO BECOME ABUSIVE PARENTS EFFORTS TO BREAK THIS CYCLE ARE GREATLY NEEDED. PRIMARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS MUST BE AIMED AT CHANGING THE TYPE OF PARENTING CHILDREN RECEIVE IN ADDITION TO ENSURING THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER ABUSED. PSYCHOTHERAPY, SOCIAL CASEWORK, PARENTS GROUPS, AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS TO CHANGE CHILDREARING PRACTICES HAVE ALL HAD SOME LIMITED SUCCESS WITH ABUSIVE PARENTS. THOSE WORKING WITH ABUSIVE PARENTS MUST WORK AT IMPROVING THEIR ATTITUDES, FEELINGS, AND BEHAVIORS TOWARD THEIR CHILDREN. A TABLE AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)