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Preventing plane-assisted suicides through the lessons of research on homicide and suicide–homicide

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2015

Timothy R Rice Open the ORCID record for Timothy R Rice [Opens in a new window]  and
Leo Sher
Timothy R Rice*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
Leo Sher
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
*
Timothy Rice, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY 10029, USA. Tel: +212.241.7175; Fax: +212.241.9311; E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

The Germanwings 9525 incident drew significant attention to the ‘plane-assisted suicide’ construct, yet little scientific literature exists on this topic. This paper reviews the available literature and applies lessons from the suicide-homicide and men’s mental health literature to better understand this construct from a scientific perspective.

Methods

A systematic review of the relevant clinical literature was undertaken.

Results

Multiple lines of evidence suggests the applicability and relevance of suicide-homicide research and men’s mental health to the plane-assisted suicide phenomenon. Plane-assisted suicides occur within an overwhelmingly male, middle aged population who, in addition to suicide, commit large scale acts of murder. Issues of divorce, separation, and threats to masculinity appear integral to an effective prevention program.

Conclusion

Further research in the understanding of plane-assisted suicide as a product of neuropsychiatric disorder may advance such prevention efforts and have the opportunity to reduce the loss of life in future tragedies.

Keywords

homicidehomicide–suicideplane-assisted suicidepreventionsuicide
Type
Perspectives
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 195 - 198
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Copyright
© Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2015 

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