Suicidality as an Explanation for Spousal Homicide

A review is made of feminist explanations for spousal homicide, and a failure to investigate intrapsychic processes is noted. Recent work on suicide is cited as showing insight into cognitive processes involved in spousal homicide, for example, as an escape from pain (called “psychache”). Certain personality features, such as insecure attachment and borderline personality, are reviewed as especially vulnerable to psychache. For unknown reasons, males seem more susceptible to destructive behavior upon relationship dissolution. The main target of this destructive behavior is the self, followed by spousal homicide.