Physical child abuse is a psycho-social and health problem that has been ignored for many years. Although the official report of child abuse ignored for many years, and the official reports of child abuse cases are very limited, but there are evidences that show the significant extent of physical child abuse prevalence rate in two regions of Tehran, which are completely different in socioeconomic status (SES) of the inhabitants.

In this cross-sectional research which was conducted in regions XX and III of Tehran in 1996, a total number of 840 children with equal number from both regions, two sexes, and three leuels of primary, middle and secondary school in regions were selected by systematized random selection. Children in two regions were significantly different in family size, the education level of parents, unemployment rate of father, and employment rate of mother. There was 110 significant' difference in the age of parents and immigration rate.

The lifetime prevalence rate of physical abuse was 37 to 16 percent ill region XX with low SES, and 16 to 24 percent ill Region III with high SES with 95 percent confidence rate. Most of the perpetuators were mothers in Region XX. In Region III, equal number of children reported mothers and fathers as the most common perpetuator of physical abuse to them. The most important risk factors were early adolescence, and unemployment of father ill region XX, and adolescent girls and low level of education in region III.