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Child murder and gender differences – a nationwide register-based study of filicide offenders in two European countries
- Authors:
- PUTKONEN Hanna, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology (The), 21(5), October 2010, pp.637-648.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The killing of one’s child is an engendered crime, and offending mothers and fathers have been found to differ in both situational characteristics and in mental health issues. This study aimed to investigate gender differences in filicide offenders' psychiatric diagnoses, history, and other mental health-related variables. The study covered all 124 filicide offenders in Austria and Finland in 1995-2005. All registered-based data was gathered for these cases. There were 79 female and 45 male offenders. The findings showed that both genders had an equally challenged childhood. The filicidal fathers were older than the mothers, with mean ages 37.5 and 31.6 years, respectively. Filicidal fathers committed suicide at the crime scene more often than the mothers (38% vs. 15%). Of the examined parents, fathers were diagnosed more often with substance abuse/dependence (39% vs. 2%) and mothers with a psychotic disorder (35% vs. 13%). During the year preceding the crime, 25 (32%) of the mothers and 13 (29%) of the fathers had sought help for mental health-related problems. The article concludes that service providers need specific strategies to support parents in distress, especially when depressive symptoms are present.