Demographics | Older than most IPH perpetrators | Mid to late 30s | Younger than most IPH perpetrators | Mid to late 30s |
Preoffense functioning | Functioning declines as chronicity of mental illness increases | Variable | Variable | High level of outward functioning |
Psychopathology | History of mental illness; psychotic or depressed at time of offense | Mood and anxiety diagnoses possible | Minimal Axis I psychopathology | Minimal Axis I psychopathology |
Personality disorder | No Axis II diagnoses likely | Borderline personality | Antisocial, sadistic, and narcissistic personality | Dependent and schizoid personality |
Previous intimate partner violence | Unlikely | Affective and episodic | Instrumental, persistent, and severe | Unlikely; catathymic when present |
Previous general violence | Moderately likely | Moderately likely | Highly likely | Less likely |
Substance abuse | Less likely | Highly likely | Highly likely | Unlikely |
Suicide | Less likely with psychosis than depression | Moderately likely | Less likely; risk increases when abandonment present | Moderately likely |
Associated deaths | Additional family members | Less likely; family or victim's current partner when occurs | Unlikely to kill additional family members | Unlikely |
Other family members when occurs |
| | | Victim's new partner most likely victim | |
Abandonment | Less likely | Likely | Likely | Less likely; engulfment possible |
Jealousy/envy | Unlikely | Jealousy | Envy or jealousy | Envy |