The psychological autopsy, part II: Toward a standardized protocol

Journal of Psychiatric Practice

Volumn 15, Issue 1, 2009, Pages 52-59

  Knoll, James L ^a  

^a State University of New York Upstate Medical University: College of Medicine   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ASPHYXIA; AUTOPSY; CLINICAL PRACTICE; DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS; FORENSIC MEDICINE; HOMICIDE; HOSPITAL ADMISSION; HUMAN; HUMAN RELATION; MEDICAL INFORMATION; MEDICAL RESEARCH; MENTAL HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL; PATIENT ATTITUDE; PSYCHOANALYSIS; REVIEW; RISK ASSESSMENT; SUICIDE ATTEMPT; ARTICLE; CLINICAL PROTOCOL; FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY; LEGAL ASPECT; MENTAL DISEASE; METHODOLOGY; STANDARD; SUICIDE; UNITED STATES;

CLINICAL PROTOCOLS; FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY; HUMANS; MENTAL DISORDERS; SUICIDE; UNITED STATES;

EID: 67650155379     PISSN: 15274160     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/01.pra.0000344920.36157.95     Document Type: Review

References (57)

1. Hansen M. Suicidal missions: Psychological autopsies to uncover motivation in suspicious deaths are themselves now suspect. ABA Journal 2000;86:28-9.
2. Snider J, Hane S, Berman A. Standardizing the psychological autopsy: Addressing the Daubert standard. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2006;36:511-8.
3. Silverman M. The language of suicidology. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2006;36:519-32.
4. Mangnall J, Yurkovich E. A literature review of deliberate self-harm. Perspect Psychiatr Care 2008;44:175-84.
5. Jacobs D, Kline-Benheim M. The psychological autopsy: A useful tool for determining proximate causation in suicide cases. Bull Am Acad Psychiatry Law 1995;23:165-82.
6. Daubert v. Merrell Dow (509 U.S. 579 1993).
7. Simon R. Murder, suicide, accident, or natural death? Assessment of suicide risk factors at the time of death. In: Simon R, Shuman D, eds. Retrospective assessment of mental states in litigation. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 2002:135-53.
8. Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael (1999 536 U.S. 137, 141).
9. Frye v. U.S. (DC COA, 1923)
10. In re Succession of Pardue (La Ct. App. 2005 915 So. 2d 415).
11. Federal Rules of Evidence (available at: www.law.cornell .edu/rules/fre/rules.htm#Rule703).
12. Pouliot L, De Leo D. Critical issues in psychological autopsy studies. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2006;36:491-510.
13. First MB, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW, et al. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I) Research Version (User's Guide and Interview). New York: Biometrics Research, New York Psychiatric Institute; 1995.
14. Conner K, Duberstein P, Conwell Y. The validity of proxy-based data in suicide research: A study of patients 50 years of age and older who attempted suicide. I Psychiatric diagnosis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001;104:204-9.
15. Conner K, Conwell Y, Duberstein P. The validity of proxy-based data in suicide research: A study of patients 50 years of age and older who attempted suicide. II. Life events, social support and suicidal behavior. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001;104:452-7.
16. Ogloff J, Otto R. Psychological autopsy: Clinical and legal perspectives. St. Louis Univ Law J 1993;37:607-46.
17. Ormerod D. Psychological autopsies: Legal applications and admissibility. The International Journal of Evidence & Proof 2001;5:1-31.
18. Scott C, Swartz E, Warburton K. The psychological autopsy: Solving the mysteries of death. Psychiatr Clin N Am 2006;29:805-22.
19. Breiding M, Wiersema B. Variability of undetermined manner of death classification in the US. Inj Prev 2006;12 (Suppl 2):ii49-ii54.
20. Baden M, Hennessee J. Unnatural death: Confessions of a medical examiner. New York: Ballantine Books; 1990: 178-86.
21. Shields L, Hunsaker D, Hunsaker J. Autoerotic asphyxia: Part I. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2005;26:45-52.
22. Jenkins A. When self-pleasuring becomes self-destruction: Autoerotic asphyxiation paraphilia. International Electronic Journal of Health Education 2000;3:208-16.
23. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000: 576.
24. Resnik H. Eroticized repetitive hangings: A form of self-destructive behavior. Am J Psychother 1972;26:4-21.
25. Hazelwood R, Dietz P, Burgess A. Sexual fatalities: Behavioral reconstruction in equivocal cases. J Forensic Sci 1982;27:763-73.
26. Garza-Leal J, Landron F. Autoerotic asphyxial death initially misinterpreted as suicide and a review of the literature. J Forensic Sci 1991;36:1753-9.
27. Hazelwood R, Dietz P, Burgess A. Autoerotic fatalities. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, 1983.
28. Shields L, Hunsaker D, Hunsaker J, et al. Atypical auto-erotic death: Part II. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2005; 26: 53-62.
29. Hazelwood R, Burgess A, Groth A. Death during dangerous autoerotic practice. Soc Sci Med 1981;15E:129-33.
30. Andrew T, Fallon K. Asphyxial games in children and adolescents. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2007;28:303-7.
31. Hazelwood R, Napier M. Crime scene staging and its detection. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 2005;48:744-59.
32. Vanezis P, Busuttil A. Suspicious death scene investigation. London: Arnold: 1996:153.
33. Adair T, Doberson M. A case of suicidal hanging staged as homicide. J Forensic Sci 1999; 44:1307-9.
34. Prahlow J, Long S, Barnard J. A suicide disguised as a homicide: Return to Thor Bridge. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1998;19:186-9.
35. Karger B, Billeb E, Koops B, et al. Autopsy features relevant for discrimination between suicidal and homicidal gunshot injuries. Int J Legal Med 2002;116:273-8.
36. Karger B, Kersting C, Brinkmann B. Prior exposure of the entrance wound region from clothing is uncommon in firearm suicides. Int J Legal Med 1997;110:79-81.
37. Rouse D. Patterns of stab wounds: A six year study. Med Sci Law 1994;34:67-71.
38. Schmidt U, Pollak S. Sharp force injuries in clinical forensic medicine - Findings in victims and perpetrators. Forensic Sci Int 2006;159:113-8.
39. Hunt A, Cowling R. Murder by stabbing. Forensic Sci Int 1991;52:107-12.
40. Simon R. Naked suicide. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2008; 36:240-5.
41. Berman A. Comprehensive textbook of suicidology. New York: Guilford; 2000: 268-70, 319-20.
42. Salib E, Cawley S, Healy R. The significance of suicide notes in the elderly. Aging Ment Health 2002;6:186-90.
43. Canetto S, Lester D. Love and achievement motives in women's and men's suicide notes. J Psychol 2002;136: 573-6.
44. Ho T, Yip P, Chiu C, et al. Suicide notes: What do they tell us? Acta Psychiatr Scand 1998;98:467-73.
45. Foster T. Suicide note themes and suicide prevention. Int J Psychiatry Med 2003;33:323-31.
46. Baume P, Cantor C, Rolfe A. Cybersuicide: The role of interactive suicide notes on the Internet. Crisis 1997;18:73-9.
47. Lester D, Linn M. Joseph Richman's signs for distinguishing genuine from simulated suicide notes. Percept Mot Skills 1998;87:242.
48. McGirr A, Renaud J, Seguin M, et al. An examination of DSM-IV depressive symptoms and risk for suicide completion in major depressive disorder: A psychological autopsy study. J Affect Disord 2007;97:203-9.
49. Jobes D, Casey J, Berman A, et al. Empirical criteria for the determination of suicide manner of death. J Forensic Sci 1991;36:244-56.
50. Ritchie E, Gelles M. Psychological autopsies: The current Department of Defense effort to standardize training and quality assurance. J Forensic Sci 2002;47:1370-2.
51. Berman A. Psychological autopsy. In: Payne-James J, Byard R, Corey T, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of forensic and legal medicine. Burlington, MA: Academic Press; 2005:364-71.
52. Moscicki E. Identification of suicide risk factors using epi-demiologic studies. Psychiatr Clin North Am 1997;20: 499-517.
53. American Psychiatric Association (APA). Practice guideline for the assessment and treatment of patients with suicidal behaviors. Am J Psychiatry 2003;160(11 Suppl):1-60 (available at www.psychiatryonline.com/pracGuide /pracGuideTopic-14.aspx, accessed October 14, 2008).
54. Shea S. The practical art of suicide assessment: A guide for mental health professionals and substance abuse counselors. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2002.
55. Berman A. Forensic suicidology and the psychological autopsy. In: Leenaars A, ed. Suicidology: Essay in honour of Edwin S. Schneidman. Aronson: New York, 1993: 248-66.
56. Andriessen K. On "intention" in the definition of suicide. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2006;36:533-8.
57. O'Carrol P, Berman A, Maris M, et al. Beyond the Tower of Babel: A nomenclature for suicidology. Suicide Life Threat Behav 1996;26:237-52.