DATA WHICH ENCOMPASS FAMILY INFORMATION, THE WOMEN'S EARLY EXPERIENCES WITH SOCIALIZATION, CONFLICTS IN ECONOMIC AND FAMILY SITUATIONS, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE MURDER DERIVE FROM 2 QUESTIONNAIRES AND 30 COURT RECORDS. THREE APPROACHES ARE USED TO EXPLAIN THE WOMEN'S BEHAVIOR: THE CLINICAL PSYCHIATRIC METHOD WHICH SEEKS CAUSES IN PSYCHOSES, NEUROSES, OR PSYCHOPATHY; THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATION, ESPECIALLY THE FRUSTRATION-AGGRESSION THEORY; AND THE THEORY OF SOCIAL SYSTEMS WHICH CONNECTS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR TO MECHANISMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL. RESULTS INDICATE THAT NO MONOCAUSAL INTERPRETATION IS ADEQUATE AND THAT ACCORDING TO TEST SCORES OF 11 WOMEN ON THE FREIBERG PERSONALITY INVENTORY, LOW TOLERANCE OF FRUSTRATION AND PARTICULAR PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS DO NOT PLAY A DECISIVE ROLE IN BEHAVIOR. HOWEVER, EARLY CHILDHOOD SOCIALIZATION OF THE MOTHER APPEARS SIGNIFICANT; 46.9 PERCENT COME FROM BROKEN HOMES; AND MANY WERE VICTIMS OF EXCESSIVELY STRICT, BRUTAL, OR PERMISSIVE DISCIPLINARY ACTION. OTHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY RELEVANT FACTORS SEEM TO BE LACK OF ADEQUATE JOB TRAINING, ORIGINS IN LOWER CLASSES, AND ILLEGITIMACY OF THE VICTIM. INFANTICIDE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF EXTENDED SUICIDE APPEARS TO BE DIFFERENTLY MOTIVATED FROM OUTRIGHT MURDER OF THE CHILD, BUT FURTHER EMPIRICAL STUDIES ARE NECESSARY TO DETERMINE HOW THE VARIOUS FACTORS INTERACT TO FORM OFFENDER TYPES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FOUR TABLES ARE PROVIDED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)