SOCIAL LEARNING AND DEVIANCE DISAVOWAL THEORY HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS AN EXPLANATION OF THE RELATION BETWEEN ALCOHOL ABUSE AND VIOLENCE. THIS EXPLANATION SEEMS PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE IN THE CONTEXT OF SPOUSAL ABUSE. HOWEVER, THE DATA AVAILABLE DO NOT PROVIDE ANY DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT IT IS CORRECT. IF THE LINK BETWEEN ALCOHOL USE AND VIOLENCE IS BASED ON THE DISINHIBITING EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, VIOLENCE SHOULD BE GREATEST AMONG THOSE WHO COME CLOSEST TO THE USUAL CONCEPTION OF AN ALCOHOLIC. THIS STUDY SHOWS ALMOST NO VIOLENCE AMONG THE SEVERE ALCOHOLICS. TRUE ALCOHOLICS USE ALCOHOL INSTEAD TO BLOCK OUT A WORLD WHICH WAS TOO PAINFUL FOR THEM TO BEAR. AMONG THOSE WHO OCCASIONALLY GET DRUNK, THE SUBJECTIVE MEANING OF INEBRIATION IS QUITE DIFFERENT. WHETHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, THEY USE ALCOHOL AS A MEANS OF ENGAGING IN BEHAVIOR WHICH WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO THEMSELVES AND SOCIETY IF THEY WERE SOBER. THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT ALCOHOL ABUSE IS ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENCE IN THE HUSBAND-WIFE RELATIONSHIP MORE OFTEN THAN IN THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)