In suicidology, psychological autopsy is a systematic procedure for evaluating suicidal intention in equivocal cases.[1][2] It was invented by American psychologists Norman Farberow and Edwin S. Shneidman during their time working at the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center, which they founded in 1958.[2][3]

The method entails collecting all available information on a deceased individual through forensic examinations, examining health records, and conducting interviews with relatives and friends.[4][5] This information is then used to determine the individual’s risk factors and psychological state before their death to help determine their cause of death.[6]

History

Farberow and Shneidman pioneered the psychological autopsy while working at the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center in the 1950s.[2][7] They developed the procedure after being asked by the Coroner to help identify the cause of death in equivocal suicides.[3][8] The procedure was influenced by Farberow and Shneidman’s time studying suicide notes from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.[3]

The psychological autopsy method was first used when Coroner Theodore J. Curphrey asked for the Suicide Prevention Center’s help in investigating a high number of drug-induced deaths. The procedure was also used after Curphrey enlisted psychiatrist Robert E. Litman and Farberow to help determine the mental state of Marilyn Monroe before her death.[3][9] Farberow ruled Monroe’s death a probable suicide after the investigation.[10][11]

The psychological autopsy method has been adopted by the United States Department of Defense and in 2002, psychological autopsies became a part of its training curriculum.[12]

The psychological autopsy has also been used to help determine the likelihood of suicide in criminal cases such as Jackson v. State and U.S. v. St. Jean and civil cases such as Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Terry.[12]

Processes

The psychological autopsy was developed to help clarify equivocal deaths, or deaths without a clear or appropriate mode.[13] Examples of equivocal death scenarios include drug-related deaths, autoerotic and self-induced asphyxia, vehicular deaths, and drownings.[12]

When conducting psychological autopsies, investigators attempt to identify a decedent’s intention in regard to their death. Psychological autopsies first attempt to answer how an individual died, why they died at a specific time, and the most probable cause of death.[12] If the cause of death is clear, investigators attempt to determine the reasons for an individual’s actions that led to death.[12] Suicidal intent is measured by factors such as means of death, prior threats to commit suicide, and settling of financial accounts.[14] In psychological autopsies, mental disorders are also strongly associated with suicide.[15]

Intent is determined by analyzing information about the decedent collected from interviews with friends and family, along with information gained from the related forensic examination into the decedent’s death.[4][5] Information from the decedent’s health records is also examined, including any illnesses, treatment, and therapy and family history of death.[4][16][17] Investigators usually look for details such as behavioral patterns in response to stress, recent changes in behavior, suicidal ideation, use of alcohol and/or drugs, and recent traumatic events.[13][16]

References

  1. ↑ Litman, Robert E. (1963). "Investigations of Equivocal Suicides". JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. 184 (12): 924. doi:10.1001/jama.1963.03700250060008.
  2. 1 2 3 Shneidman, Edwin S.; Farberow, Norman L. (January 1965). "The Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center: A Demonstration of Public Health Feasibilities". American Journal of Public Health and the Nation's Health. 55 (1): 21–26. doi:10.2105/AJPH.55.1.21. ISSN 0002-9572. PMC 1256136. PMID 14246103.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Cries for Help". TIME. 2007-12-28. Archived from the original on 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  4. 1 2 3 Isometsä, E. T. (November 2001). "Psychological autopsy studies--a review". European Psychiatry. 16 (7): 379–385. doi:10.1016/s0924-9338(01)00594-6. ISSN 0924-9338. PMID 11728849. S2CID 12224177.
  5. 1 2 Hawton, K.; Appleby, L.; Platt, S.; Foster, T.; Cooper, J.; Malmberg, A.; Simkin, S. (September 1998). "The psychological autopsy approach to studying suicide: a review of methodological issues". Journal of Affective Disorders. 50 (2–3): 269–276. doi:10.1016/s0165-0327(98)00033-0. ISSN 0165-0327. PMID 9858086.
  6. ↑ Mohanty, Pallavi; Kumar, Rajeev; Sankhla, Mahipal Singh (September 2021). "Importance of Psychological Autopsy in Forensic Science". Indian Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology. 19: 1–6. doi:10.5958/0974-4487.2021.00001.8. S2CID 244311911.
  7. ↑ Canter, David V. "Psychological autopsies" (PDF). University of Huddersfield Repository.
  8. ↑ Botello, Timothy; Noguchi, Thomas; Sathyavagiswaran, Lakshmanan; Weinberger, Linda E.; Gross, Bruce H. (July 2013). "Evolution of the psychological autopsy: fifty years of experience at the Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office". Journal of Forensic Sciences. 58 (4): 924–926. doi:10.1111/1556-4029.12138. ISSN 1556-4029. PMID 23551031. S2CID 42590948.
  9. ↑ Fraga, Kaleena (2022-04-06). "Inside Marilyn Monroe's Controversial Autopsy Report — And The Eerie Conspiracies Behind It". All That's Interesting. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  10. ↑ "Norman Farberow dies at 97; psychologist was pioneer in suicide prevention". Los Angeles Times. 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  11. ↑ "Norman Farberow, psychologist at forefront of suicide". Washington Post. 2015-09-18.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Psychological Autopsy, Part I: Applications and Methods" (PDF). Law and Psychiatry. 14 (6): 393–397. November 2008.
  13. 1 2 "The Psychological Autopsy". Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 11 (4): 325–340. Winter 1981. doi:10.1111/j.1943-278X.1981.tb01009.x.
  14. ↑ "Death Investigation – Introduction to Psychological Autopsy". www.ojp.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  15. ↑ Cavanagh, J. T. O.; Carson, A. J.; Sharpe, M.; Lawrie, S. M. (April 2003). "Psychological autopsy studies of suicide: a systematic review". Psychological Medicine. 33 (3): 395–405. doi:10.1017/s0033291702006943. ISSN 0033-2917. PMID 12701661. S2CID 7469249.
  16. 1 2 Silber, Benjamin (2022-02-12). "What is a Psychological Autopsy?". forensic-evaluations. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  17. ↑ Ebert, Bruce W. (February 1987). "Guide to conducting a psychological autopsy". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 18 (1): 52–56. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.18.1.52. ISSN 1939-1323.
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