ADOLESCENT PARRICIDE - AN INTEGRATION OF SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY AND CLINICAL VIEWS OF PROJECTIVE-INTROJECTIVE CYCLING

Case histories of parricide by adolescents frequently reveal a history of abuse on the part of the victim and acute depression and suicidal ideation by the adolescent. This paper seeks to integrate an establish ed concept of suicide as escape from ''aversive self-awareness'' throu gh cognitive deconstruction with clinical observations of ''projective -introjective cycling'' of aggressive impulses, as a means of better u nderstanding and preventing violence toward intimate others.