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Suicide note and the psychological autopsy: Associated behavioral aspects
Maria Patricia Acinas1, José I Robles2, M Ángeles Peláez-Fernández3
1Psicóloga Especialista en Psicología de Emergencias y Catástrofes. Miembro fundador de SEPADEM (Sociedad Española de Psicología Aplicada a Desastres, Urgencias y Emergencias).
Actas Espanolas De Psiquiatria
|May 23, 2015
Summary
Investigating deaths with unclear origins often involves analyzing suicide notes. These notes, categorized by type, offer insights into the deceased's psychological state and the circumstances surrounding their death.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Investigative Sciences
Background:
- Deaths under traumatic, ambiguous, or uncertain circumstances may be suicidal.
- Suicide notes are frequently discovered and aid in determining the cause of death.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of suicide notes in death investigations.
- To analyze the types of suicide notes and their contribution to understanding the victim's psychological state.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing protocols for psychological autopsy.
- Categorization of different types of suicide notes (farewell, instructions, accusation, forgiveness, justification).
Main Results:
- Suicide notes can provide critical information for death investigations.
- Different note types offer unique insights into the victim's mindset and the events leading to death.
Conclusions:
- While no single psychological autopsy method is universally approved, established protocols exist for information gathering and reporting.
- Analysis of suicide notes is a valuable component in investigating ambiguous deaths.