Understanding the motives behind male filicides to better intervene

IntroductionThe present study focuses on gaining an understanding of the motives of men who commit a filicide. Motivation is a concept at the crossroads of psychology and criminology that allows for a better understanding of filicide.ObjectiveOn one hand, our study evaluates the motives of men who have committed a filicide, and on the other, it compares groups of men with regard to socio-demographic, psychological and criminological characteristics according to the underlying motivation.MethodThe 50 male filicides committed in the province of Quebec between 1997 and 2012 were analyzed using a Grille d’analyse multidimensionnelle de l’homicide intrafamilial and subgroups based on motivation.ResultsMale filicides are mainly motivated by marital separation or fatal physical abuse (ill treatments causing death). Some characteristics help distinguish these men according to motivation including: the victim's age, hospitalizations that occurred during the year preceding the crime, the presence of depressive and/or psychotic symptoms, and the sentence rendered.ConclusionOur results highlight the presence of distinct profiles based on motivation and the relevance of considering motivation in order to develop specific and effective prevention strategies.