A Study of Filicide in the context of dispute between separated parents: an investigation into indicators of risk

Summary of research undertaken for honours paper, School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, 2001

Author and speaker

Rhonda Pritchard

Organisation

Counsellor in private practice (Wellington)

This study investigates the phenomenon of filicide in the context of dispute between separated parents by reviewing six cases that occurred between 1994 and 2000 in Australia and New Zealand in which applications for custody orders had been made by one or both parents to the Family Court. The study attempts to answer the question whether any common themes or combination of risk indicators can be identified, in order to raise the chance of preventing future incidents. The findings support and develop further findings from recent research that suggests that a multitude of factors contribute to the risk of filicide. Of the six perpetrators, four were male and two were female. All completed or attempted suicide after killing the child or children. None of them had accepted or received individual counselling or psychological help.

Three unexpected findings, in comparison with previous studies were the proximity of extended family, the low frequency of psychotic illness and the low frequency of any history of child abuse or neglect by the perpetrators. The male perpetrators had however all shown a pattern of abuse towards their female partners. Across all cases four common themes emerged most clearly: high dependency/ low differentiation/ low individuation, which in turn, contributed to the sense of acute grief and the perception of intolerable loss. The second theme was the harbouring of fantasies of reunion, deliverance or salvation. The third theme was revenge or retaliation against the former partner. Even those who claimed they were protecting their children from the other parent or taking their children with them to care for them "in heaven" either stated or implied revenge as one of the motives for their action. The fourth theme, narcissistic vulnerability, has not previously been identified as a risk indicator in the literature on filicide. The three personality features of narcissistic vulnerability are intense projection of blame, rigid black/white thinking and low empathy ("capable of imagining the impact of events only on themselves and unable to separate their own needs from those of their children").

The findings from this study also indicate the importance of hopelessness and social isolation as risk factors. The final precipitant in all cases was actual, threatened or imminent final loss: in some cases of partner, in most cases of children and in all cases, of control.

Presentation

Paper

Biography

Rhonda Pritchard BA(Hons), BSocSc, DipTchg, CTA, MNZAC, MNZPsS..has been in practice as a counsellor, psychotherapist, supervisor, trainer and mediator for twenty five years. After her early career as a teacher, she began counselling training in Marriage Guidance (now Relationship Services) in 1979, and later became a psychotherapist and certified Transactional Analyst. In 2001, she completed her honours degree in Psychology. Her publications include three books: Love in the Real World: (Starting and keeping close relationships) When Parents Part: How Kids Adapt (What hurts and what heals) How Money Comes Between Us (Common family problems, creativesolutions).