THE REPORTS ILLUSTRATE THE PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE WITH REGARD TO THE NEED FOR HELP, THE DEFINITION OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THE CYCLE OF ABUSE, STRESS AND ABUSE, SIGNS OF OVERWHELMING STRESS, HIGH-RISK INDICATORS OF TROUBLED PARENTING, TIMES OF CRISIS, THE SELECTION OF ALTERNATIVES TO ABUSE, AND IMPLICATIONS OF CHANGE IN ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR. THE ROLE OF PARENTS ANONYMOUS IS TO HELP PARENTS WHO HAVE ABUSED OR WHO FEAR THEY MIGHT ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN. PARENTS MEET ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH A SPONSOR WHO ACTS AS A FACILITATOR. PARENTS WORK TOGETHER TO DISCOVER HOW THEY CAN LEARN NOT TO ABUSE AND HOW TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN TIMES OF CRISIS TO PREVENT ABUSE. FAMILY-TYPE RELATIONSHIPS ARE FORMED IN GROUPS, AND A CRISIS TELEPHONE CONTACT NUMBER FOR GROUP MEMBERS IS AVAILABLE. THE RESOLUTION OF PROBLEMS BY PARENTS ANONYMOUS IS CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO LEARNING TO ACCEPT ONSELF AS AN INDIVIDUAL, REMEMBERING-FORGETTING THE PAST, THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN, SHARING GROWTH, AND LEARNING ABOUT DEEPLY ROOTED FEELINGS. (DEP)