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The phenomenon of murder-suicide (aka. homicide-suicide) makes a sizeable impact on current public perceptions and policies regarding mental illness and risk for violence. However, within the past 25 years, our understanding of murder-suicide has remained relatively stable, and so has our relative inability to reliably predict and prevent it. The purpose of this paper is to propose pathways for furthering a cogent understanding of murder-suicide that may inform specific predictive and preventative practices.

Research literature regarding empirical and theoretical positions in the fields of murder-suicide, homicide, and suicide are reviewed and discussed.

While murder-suicide has many similarities to both homicide and suicide, no current theories of either alone have been successful in fully incorporating the phenomenon of murder-suicide. Theories specific to murder-suicide as a unique form of violence are in need of further research.

Developing and empirically testing theories of murder-suicide may lead to a vast and needed improvement of our understanding, prediction, and prevention of these tragedies.

The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on mass murder and amok, and the relationship of these phenomena to murder-suicide as well as to determine future research directions.

Research literature on mass murder, amok, and murder-suicide was reviewed in the context of recent developments in the understanding of suicide, aggressive behavior, and psychiatric diagnostics.

Amok, typically viewed as a culture-bound disorder, occurs throughout the world and is best characterized as mass murder, similar to school shootings. Additionally, the phenomenon of mass murder may be best understood as a form of murder-suicide, related to the phenomenon of suicide-by-cop.

This paper provides a review of the literature on murder-suicide, mass murder, and amok spanning over 110 years in the context of modern psychological research, new insights into the possible motivations of those who “run amok” and commit mass murder and provides future research directions for this important phenomenon.

People who have lived experiences with suicide often struggle with concealable stigmatized identities that threaten their inclusion and recovery. While disclosure of a stigmatized identity can promote support and recovery and therefore prevent suicide, it may also present distinct risks. The purpose of this paper is to summarize key issues in suicide-related disclosure, suggest theoretical models for describing suicide-related disclosure and identify research needs.

This conceptual paper discusses the existing literature on disclosure of concealable stigmatized identities, then explores research on disclosure of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt and suicide loss. Theoretical models (disclosure processes model and interpersonal theory of suicide) that can be employed in understanding suicide-related disclosure are explored. Finally, the paper suggests areas for future research, including longitudinal research to identify strategic disclosure practices that can lead to greater inclusion and recovery.

Research on suicide-related disclosure should differentiate between disclosure of past and current suicidality, incorporate theoretical frameworks and examine approaches for preparing potential confidants and disclosers for the disclosure process.

This paper highlights issues unique to the disclosure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and to suicide loss.