This paper begins by reviewing literature relevant to the history of children of battered women and difficulties in defining domestic violence. Major attempts to explain the behavioral profile of children of battered women include issues related to family characteristics and patterns; effects of family violence on children; links between marital violence and child abuse; and critiques of assessment and treatment research studies. The major domains frequently studied in children's behavior problems related to exposure to multiple forms of family violence are identified and discussed. Particular attention is paid to the effects of wife battering and a violent home environment on the development of children, and the role these play in understanding the developmental delays and behavioral dysfunction of children who witness and experience violence. Research on the approaches to the assessment and treatment of children of battered women is reviewed. Directions for future research are also discussed. (Contains 150 references.) (Author/MKA)