PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data on preventive child abuse program development. METHOD: Data were collected on 105 high-risk families of child abuse intervention was obtained from their main child rearer who raised the child under 18 years, olds during 10 months period from May, 2000 to March 2001. RESULT: The results were as follows : 1. Child abuse occurred in the subject's home, in the case of mild child abuse, 'throwing an object at the child' had the highest percentage 39.1%, in severe child abuse, 'rod, stick, belt, broom beating or using a variety of objects such as' had the highest percentage 49.5%, and in very severe child abuse, 'hospitalized by belting' had the highest percentage 3.8%. 2. The degree of child abuse potential showed high risk child abuse score with a mean of 213.3. The degree of beliefs in corporal punishment showed that subjects perceived corporal punishment of children positively with a mean of 32.2. 3. With respect to the child abuse potential, there were significant correlations with the subjects' age (r=.294, p=.002), education level (r=-.442, p=.000), and family income (r=-.355, p=.000). CONCLUSION: From this study not only child abuse occurrence but also child abuse potential were severely increased in poor livelihood families. Therefore to the high risk group, individual preventive approach must be applied.