According to social-psychological theory, violent acts in a marital relationship can be understood by examining environmental stressors and violent acts spouses experienced as children. Because there is a great variety in the type and frequency of abuse suffered by battered women, it is important to examine abuse type and abuse frequency simultaneously to identify women at risk for severe abuse. This study examined whether there is a subset of abuse predictors which are especially useful in predicting abuse severity and its components. Subjects (N=105) were battered women at a women's crisis center. Data were gathered by structured interview upon admission to the center. Variables in the areas of situational stressors and childhood abuse that were found to be predictive of spouse abuse in previous research were investigated to determine their value in predicting abuse type, abuse frequency and abuse severity. Multiple regression analyses indicated that alcohol/drug use predicted abuse type, client employment level predicted abuse frequency, and both alcohol/drug use and sexual abuse of the women during childhood predicted abuse severity. Some subjects also completed questions concerning their experience with marital rape. Their responses indicated that marital rape was a widespread problem with serious consequences for battered women. (Author/ABL)