Citation

Leveillee S, Marleau J, Lefebvre J. Evol. Psychiatr. (Paris) 2010; 75(1): 19-33.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.evopsy.2007.06.005

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The objective of this study is to compare men who killed their wives and at least one of their children (familicide) with men who exclusively killed one or more of their children (filicide), using socio-demographic, criminological, situational and psychological psychiatric variables. The data was obtained from the Coroner's files in Quebec for the period of 1986 to 1998. A total of 16 men who committed familicide were compared with 36 men who committed filicide. The results of the analyses indicate that there are significant differences between the two groups of men. Men who committed familicide are older, are more often born out of Canada and more often use a firearm as well as overkill while committing the offence in comparison to men who committed filicide. These men are also more often in the process of a conjugal separation, they have more often experienced losses (i.e. job loss, etc.) and they show more symptoms of depression in the year prior to the homicide, compared to filicidal men. Based on these results, the individuals who committed familicide exhibit a different dynamic than those individuals who committed filicide. These results have an important impact on the treatment of these individuals as well as on prevention. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS.