Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide-suicide

Agata Debowska; Daniel Boduszek; Katie Dhingra

doi:10.1016/j.avb.2015.01.011

Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide-suicide

Agata Debowska, Daniel Boduszek, Katie Dhingra

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of most recent studies of parental and stepparental filicide. A detailed review of the literature revealed the importance of certain demographic, environmental, and psychosocial factors in the commission of child homicide. Our findings indicate that filicides perpetrated by genetic parents and stepparents differ considerably in terms of underlying motivational factors. Data in the literature suggest that biological parents are more likely to choose methods of killing which produce quick and painless death, whereas stepparents frequently kill their wards by beating. Research results demonstrate the victims of maternal filicides to be significantly younger than the victims of paternal filicides. Additionally, filicide-suicide is most often associated with parental psychopathology. Genetic fathers are at the greatest risk of death by suicide after the commission of familicide. These findings are discussed in relation to theoretical frameworks explaining the occurrence of child murder. Further, limitations of reviewed studies and directions for future research are presented.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	113-124
Number of pages	12
Journal	Aggression and Violent Behavior
Volume	21
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.01.011
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2015

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Suicide

Parents

Homicide

Psychopathology

Fathers

Mothers

Demography

Psychology

Research

Cite this

Debowska, A., Boduszek, D., & Dhingra, K. (2015). Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide-suicide. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 21, 113-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.01.011

Debowska, Agata ; Boduszek, Daniel ; Dhingra, Katie. / Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide-suicide. In: Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2015 ; Vol. 21. pp. 113-124.

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Debowska, A, Boduszek, D & Dhingra, K 2015, 'Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide-suicide', Aggression and Violent Behavior, vol. 21, pp. 113-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.01.011

Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide-suicide. / Debowska, Agata; Boduszek, Daniel; Dhingra, Katie.

In: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Vol. 21, 01.03.2015, p. 113-124.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article

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AB - The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of most recent studies of parental and stepparental filicide. A detailed review of the literature revealed the importance of certain demographic, environmental, and psychosocial factors in the commission of child homicide. Our findings indicate that filicides perpetrated by genetic parents and stepparents differ considerably in terms of underlying motivational factors. Data in the literature suggest that biological parents are more likely to choose methods of killing which produce quick and painless death, whereas stepparents frequently kill their wards by beating. Research results demonstrate the victims of maternal filicides to be significantly younger than the victims of paternal filicides. Additionally, filicide-suicide is most often associated with parental psychopathology. Genetic fathers are at the greatest risk of death by suicide after the commission of familicide. These findings are discussed in relation to theoretical frameworks explaining the occurrence of child murder. Further, limitations of reviewed studies and directions for future research are presented.

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