Investigations of physical assault have found that a substantial number of women have been victimized within the context of a dating relationship. The present study examined a wide range of interpersonal, attitudinal, personality, past history, and demographic variables for 308 college women in order to understand what factors differentiate women in physically violent and nonviolent dating relationships. The study employed a 2 (abuse) x 2 (depression) design and as such was able to examine the unique effects of physical abuse without being confounded by the effects of depression. Twenty-one percent of the participants reported either current or past involvement in a physically abusive dating relationship. After controlling for depression, it was found that abused women employed poorer coping, had more social support, and experienced more sexual victimization than non-abused women. Implications of these findings are discussed. (Contains 36 references.) (Author/JDM)