Understanding Filicide Risk: A Scoping Review to Inform Mental Health Nursing Practice

ABSTRACT Filicide is usually defined as the killing of a child by a parent(s), stepparent, or equivalent guardian and is a deeply distressing form of family violence that intersects public health, mental health, legal, and social systems. Filicide is often associated with parental mental health disorders, family dysfunction, and complex psychosocial stressors, yet healthcare responses, particularly within mental health nursing, remain underexplored. This scoping review aims to identify the characteristics of individuals who commit filicide and examine the tools, indicators, or clinical practices used within healthcare settings to assess and manage filicide risk, with a focus on informing mental health nursing practice. A scoping review methodology was employed, guided by Arksey and O'Malley's five‐stage framework and reported in accordance with the PRISMA‐ScR checklist. A comprehensive search of six databases was conducted which included EMBASE, Education Source, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Medline Complete, and Scopus. Data were charted, descriptively analysed, and appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool to map existing evidence and identify gaps in the assessment of filicide risk within healthcare settings. Fifteen studies were included, primarily conducted in psychiatric hospitals across diverse global settings, with most published in the previous 5 years. Most studies focused on filicidal mothers, identifying key risk markers such as a history of mental health disorders, trauma, psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., psychosis, depression), and social stressors. No validated clinical tools were identified, though several demographic and psychological risk indicators were consistently reported, highlighting the need for targeted assessment practices in healthcare settings. These findings confirm a critical gap in clinical guidance for mental health nurses, who are often frontline responders in identifying and managing risk. Enhancing awareness of filicide risk indicators and integrating them into routine mental health assessments is essential to support early intervention, improve patient outcomes, and prevent harm.