Mark
T. Palermo, psichiatra, neurologo e criminologo, ha studiato il
fenomeno del figlicidio con particolare riguardo al caso di figli con
autismo.
Nell’articolo
Preventing
Filicide in Families With Autistic Children
Mark
T. Palermo
International
Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47(1), 2003
47-57
suddivide
i fattori predisponenti al figlicidio come segue
Based
on factors thought to motivate the murder, filicides have been
classified as
(a)
altruistic, a “murder commited out of love”(56%);
(b)
psychotic, when no apparent motive is present (24%);
(c)
unwanted child, which is self-explanatory (11%);
(d)
“accidental,” when there was no intent to kill (7%);
(e)
spousal revenge, when the homicide is committed with the intent to
make the spouse suffer (2%)
Nel
caso di figli disabili ritiene che il figlicidio altruistico si
intrecci pericolosamente con l’idea di una uccisione misericordiosa
In
cases that involve disabled persons, the concept of altruistic
filicide may dangerously overlap the idea of mercy killing
Tra
i fattori stressanti l’autore menziona le difficoltá
nell’attaccamento
genitoriale e l’impossibilitá di dare un significato a
comportamenti che non hanno una causa apparente
the
difficulties in bonding with autistic children that are intrinsic to
the disorder, the secondary problems with disturbed attachment, and
the impossibility for parents to give a meaning to something that in
most cases, from the outside and from clinical exam and ancillary
investigations, has no apparent physical cause further compounds a
stressful situation.
Se
si migliora l’autoefficacia e la capacitá di comunicare coi figli
diminuiscono nei genitori i livelli di stress e migliora l’autostima
variables
such as self-efficacy in parents have been shown to mediate the
effect on stress levels of the maladaptive and problematic behaviors
commonly found in autistic patients
it
is clearly demonstrated that enabling parents to communicate through
alternative languages, such as the American Sign Language or the
equivalent in other countries, may significantly decrease the level
of stress and improve parental self-esteem
Come
logica conseguenza l’autore consiglia per
la prevenzione una
formazione esaustiva e un training dei genitori in modo che essi
possano avere il controllo
della demoralizzante situazione,
che possano
prevenire i problemi e approcciare
i loro figli nel modo piú efficace possibile.
The
stigma and anxiety associated with the diagnosis of autistic disorder
may be diminished through exhaustive illness education
This
enables parents who are often young and lack knowledge about
parenting in general to gain or regain control over a demoralizing
situation, allowing them to anticipate problems that may develop and
to approach their children in the most effective way possible.
Come
conclusione finale l’autore ricorda ai medici che, se il primo
imperativo morale del medico é “Primo, non nuocere”, il secondo
dovrebbe essere “Non abbandonare”
When
working with families, although it is a challenge (Barr, 1999;
Korsch, 1995), one must not forget that along with “first, do no
harm,” second should be “do not abandon.”