The author reviews 131 cases of child murder and proposes a new classification of filicide by apparent motive: altruistic, acutely psychotic, unwanted child, accidental, and spouse revenge. The high frequency of altruistic motives distinguishes filicide from other homicides. The psychodynamics of the filicidal impulse are explored: displacement of the murderer's original aggression from his parents, spouse, or sibling is documented. The author offers some considerations for prevention.
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Phillip J. Resnick (1969) studied this question.
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