The relationship of depression to homicide has been overlooked in
clinical psychiatry. The authors report on six homicidal depressed control
compare them with nonhomicidal depressed control subjects. They also
analyze data from 81 case summaries found elsewhere in the literature.
Their preliminary data suggest that homicidal depressed patients are more
likely to have a personality disorder, to have been physically abused as a
child, to abuse alcohol or drugs, and to be suicidal than are nonhomicidal
depressed patients. In homicidal patients, the event precipitating the
depression is more likely to be sexual infidelity, either real or
fantasized.Abstract Teaser