Filicide in Austria and Finland--a register-based study on all filicide cases in Austria and Finland 1995-2005.
BACKGROUND
Filicide is the tragic crime of murdering one's own child. Previous research has found that the offending parents are commonly depressed and that suicide is often associated as an actual act or an intention. Yet, filicide is an underreported crime and previous studies have been strained with methodological problems. No comprehensive international studies on filicide have been presented in the literature until now.


METHODS
This was a descriptive, comprehensive, register-based study of all filicides in Austria and Finland during 1995-2005. Filicide-suicide cases were also included.


RESULTS
Most of the perpetrators were the biological mothers; in Austria 72%, in Finland 52%. Suicide followed filicide either as an attempt or a fulfilled act in 32% and 54% of the cases in Austria and Finland, respectively. Psychotic mood disorders were diagnosed for 10% of the living perpetrators in Austria, and 12% in Finland. Non-psychotic depression was diagnosed in 9% of surviving perpetrators in Austria, 35% in Finland.


CONCLUSIONS
The data from the two countries demonstrated that filicide is such a multifaceted and rare phenomenon that national data from individual countries seldom offer sufficient scope for its thorough study. Further analyses are needed to produce a complete picture of filicide.
Putkonen
Hanna
H
Vanha Vaasa hospital, PO Box 13, 65381 Vaasa, Finland. hanna.putkonen@vvs.fi
Amon
Sabine
S
Almiron
Maria P
MP
Cederwall
Jenny Yourstone
JY
Eronen
Markku
M
Klier
Claudia
C
Kjelsberg
Ellen
E
Weizmann-Henelius
Ghitta
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002910:Chronology as Topic; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007237:Infanticide; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data