Maternal and Paternal Filicide: Case Studies from the Australian Homicide Project.

Data drawn from the Australian Homicide Project were used to examine whether and how maternal and paternal filicide perpetrators differ in terms of motivations for filicide and childhood and adulthood adversities. In addition, key differences between filicide and non-filicide perpetrators were examined. Data were collected across a number of states and territories in Australia between 2010 and 2013 through interviews with 231 men and women convicted of murder or manslaughter. Of these participants, 14 had perpetrated filicide. Detailed information on the developmental background of the perpetrators, as well as motives and situational contexts of the homicide incidents, was gathered through the interviews. Findings from the current study reveal some important gender differences among filicide perpetrators. For example, filicidal fathers are more likely to perpetrate accidental filicide, and to report unemployment, alcohol and drug problems and previous engagement in child abuse, while filicidal mothers are more likely to perpetrate altruistic or neglectful filicide, and to report mental health problems. In addition, male filicide perpetrators report a greater number of adversities compared to male non-filicide perpetrators, while female filicide perpetrators display fewer adversities compared to their non-filicide counterparts. Key Practitioner Messages Practitioners are uniquely placed to assist in filicide prevention., Opportunities for service providers to raise awareness of key risk factors for filicide are crucial., Health and social service providers are ideally placed to screen parents seeking support to uncover early warning risks., Mental health service support is crucial, particularly for mothers, as is screening parents for severe depression or suicidal ideations., Provision of parenting support skills to help parents cope with extreme stress appears salient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]