Homicidal school-age children: cognitive style and demographic features

This paper reviews the literature regarding homicide in children and discusses the various hypotheses regarding the etiology of murderous aggression. The relationship of perceived locus of control as a cognitive style and homicidal behavior in children is discussed. A comparison of children matched for severity of illness, sex, age, and intelligence is described which found the nine homicidal children, ages 6 to 11, to perceive themselves as more externally controlled than the comparison group of children hospitalized for similar psychiatric disorders. Issues related to prevention, detection, and treatment are presented.