The Impact of Family and Childhood Experiences on Mental and Psychological Health: Insights from Criminal Case Analysis

: This article investigates the influence of family and childhood experiences on an individual's mental and psychological well-being. By examining the criminal histories and family backgrounds of seven criminals, I explore the correlation between psychological disorders and various factors such as family dynamics, school experiences, and personal characteristics. My article indicates that childhood experiences significantly contribute to the development of mental and psychological disorders. This highlights the crucial role of family and early environment (daily life factors) in shaping an individual's overall mental health, emphasizing the need to prioritize individual support systems within their surroundings.


Introduction
The impact of family and childhood experiences on an individual's mental and psychological wellbeing has been a subject of great interest and concern.Understanding the correlation between these experiences and the development of psychological disorders can provide valuable insights into the factors that contribute to mental health issues.This article delves into this important area by examining the criminal histories and family backgrounds of seven criminals.By exploring the relationship between psychological disorders and various factors such as family dynamics, school experiences, and personal characteristics, I aim to shed light on the significant influence of childhood experiences on mental and psychological well-being.
The findings of this article reveal a compelling link between childhood experiences and the development of mental and psychological disorders.These findings underscore the crucial role that family and early environment play in shaping an individual's overall mental health.By emphasizing the need to prioritize individual support systems within their surroundings, this research underscores the importance of addressing the impact of family and childhood experiences on an individual's mental and psychological well-being.

Jeffery Dahmer
Jeffery Dahmer, an American serial killer, was responsible for the brutal murders of 17 men between 1978 and 1991 [8] [12] .The cause and effect of Dahmer's disorder can be traced back to his troubled upbringing and subsequent psychological deterioration.
Born on May 21, 1960, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dahmer was destined for a life of loneliness.His mother, Joyce Dahmer, suffered from postpartum depression and other mental illnesses following his birth.The responsibility of being a mother pushed her to the pill abuse, which became the main source of conflict between Joyce and her husband, Lionel Dahmer.Lionel distanced himself from the family, while Joyce resorted to drug use as a cry for attention.This distressing environment inflicted significant pain on young Dahmer [28] .
Throughout his school years, Dahmer struggled with making friends and fitting in with his peers, leaving him harboring a deep fear of being left alone.Over time, his interest in anatomy and surgery developed, which was influenced by Lionel's involvement in dissecting roadkill animals, cutting them into slices to see what was inside.Dahmer later claimed that his compulsion towards necrophilia and murder began around the age of 14, which is reasonably speculated to be caused by the dissecting [22] .
As a high school student, Dahmer's difficulties with social connections intensified, leading him to lose hope and neglect his academic performance.His parents' divorce further exacerbated his emotional turmoil.Jeffrey turned to alcohol as a means of escape, eventually spiraling out of control and becoming addicted.Although Joyce won custody of Jeffrey, she abandoned him in their old house and moved away with his younger brother.Lionel rarely visited, leaving Jeffrey isolated for extended periods: three months [22] .
The loss of his parents had a profound impact on Dahmer's mental state, leading to the development of paranoid schizophrenia.He became consumed by the belief that everyone wanted to abandon him.Pent-up bodily demands in his mind triggered violent outbursts whenever people attempted to leave him alone.Additionally, his schizophrenia exacerbated his delusions, leading him to believe that consuming his victims' hearts would somehow preserve them.Digging a grave to spend the night with a deceased individual whose appearance had captivated him in a newspaper was evidence of Dahmer's necrophilia [22] .
These disorders played a significant role in Dahmer's subsequent criminal activities.His first known crime involved a hitchhiker named Steven Hicks [22] .
"I always knew that it was wrong.The first killing was not planned," Dahmer told Inside Edition in 1993."I was coming back from the shopping mall back in '78.I'd had fantasies about picking up a hitchhiker, taking him back to the house, and having complete dominance and control over him. [8]" Dahmer took Hicks, who was only 18 years old, to his parent's house in Ohio to get intimate with him.However, Hicks made it clear that he was not into men.When Hicks tried to leave the house, Jeffery beat him up with a barbell.After he realized his mistake, he did what his dad helped him about the "roadkills."It was evident at that point that blood and flesh sort of aroused him [22] .
Later on, in the US army training, Dahmer starts to drug and rape a fellow soldier.His psyche is affected by the venom of his depravity.After being discharged from the army, he takes refuge at his grandma's house and makes out with young gay guys in the hotel.Jeffery killed the young boy with drugs chopped down the head and kissed it [22] .Dahmer even invited young boys to his grandma's house and repeated the same actions.To keep the body easier, Dahmer built a cellar [8] .
Jeffery Dahmer's arrest on July 22, 1991, marked the end of his criminal spree.In his apartment, authorities found a macabre collection including human hearts, heads, skulls, a torso, and other preserved body parts.Dahmer was sentenced to 16 consecutive life terms for his crimes and was killed in prison by inmate Christopher Scarver in 1994 [8] .

Theodore Robert Bundy
Theodore Robert Bundy, more commonly known as Ted Bundy, was born on November 24, 1946, in Burlington, Vermont, United States.He would go on to become one of the most infamous criminals of the late 20th century [15] .His troubled upbringing played a significant role in shaping his behavior.
Ted's parentage was uncertain, and he was initially placed in an orphanage by his unmarried mother, Eleanor Louise Cowell.Later, he was adopted by his grandfather, Sam Cowell, who became his father, while his mother took on the role of his sister.During his childhood, Bundy faced challenges such as a difficult relationship with his stepfather and being a target of bullying due to his shyness [15] .Despite excelling academically in junior high school, signs of his antisocial personality disorder emerged through petty theft.Initially starting with small items, Ted gradually escalated to stealing wallets, credit cards, famous clothing, and luxury goods.As his thefts became more noticeable, his once-likable persona changed.During his formative years, Ted Bundy developed a fascination with voyeurism.This began after he accidentally saw a naked woman through a window, leading him to regularly peep into others' windows, eventually forming a routine for such activities [20] .
In 1966, Ted Bundy's relationship with his first girlfriend, Stephanie Brooks, ended due to her parents' disapproval and her waning interest.This breakup led Bundy to explore dangerous fantasies [20] .
Bundy enrolled at the University of Washington in 1967 but struggled to settle down, leading him to take a leave of absence.Here he became a habitual thief, stealing various items ranging from clothes to cars.He also developed a talent for persuasion, claiming he could "sell anything to women [20] ." In March 1972, Ted Bundy graduated with a psychology degree but failed the LSAT for law school admission.Turning to politics, he joined the state Republican Party's Central Committee, where his deceptive persona remained undetected, leading to popularity in political circles.By June 1973, after persistent efforts, Bundy secured admission to Utah Law School.Concurrently, Bundy's killing spree began, driven by a sexual desire reversal disorder.His fantasies, blending sex and violence, increasingly mirrored his subsequent behaviors [20] .
Bundy's interest in sexual violence may have originated from pornographic books confiscated by his church deacon grandfather.This interest intensified during high school, leading to the development of violent fantasies, which Bundy found rehearsal pleasure in.His fantasies evolved in two stages: initially during high school, marked by theft and burgeoning sexual fantasies, and later during college, particularly after his breakup with Stephanie [20] .
In his early crimes, Bundy employed blunt force and foreign object insertion.However, his later methods became more sophisticated and brutal, involving kidnapping, strangulation, necrophilia, beheading, and body disposal.This progression reflected an increase in cruelty, confidence, and caution.Bundy's cases also revealed a sexual abuse disorder characterized by biting, violent beating, needling, binding, skin cutting, disfigurement, body part mutilation, body destruction, genital insertion of foreign objects, and cannibalistic tendencies [20] .
Ted Bundy, identified as a control/power serial killer, derived sexual arousal from dominating, torturing, and killing his victims, often prolonging their suffering for his gratification.He engaged in necrophilia for empowerment and to avoid rejection from living individuals.Bundy himself acknowledged that the anticipation and fantasy preceding a crime were more stimulating than the crime itself, leading him to repeatedly kill to achieve his ideal fantasy [9] .
Bundy's need to dominate was crucial to his sense of sexual fulfillment, as he confessed in 1989, viewing killing as a form of possession and feeling god-like when observing his victims' desperation.John Douglas, a former FBI profiler, noted that Bundy kept mementos from his victims, such as hair, jewelry, or ID cards, to prolong and relive his fantasies before committing another murder [9] .
In 1979, Ted Bundy received a death sentence for murdering two college students, and in 1980, another for a 12-year-old girl's murder.His 1989 execution in Florida ended his terror [9] .

Edward Theodore Gein
Edward Theodore Gein, known as the Butcher of Plainfield, was born on August 27, 1906, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and died on July 26, 1984, in Madison, Wisconsin.Raised by his mother Augusta, who held strict religious views and a negative perception of men, Gein grew up isolated and bullied, in contrast to his more independent brother Henry [16] .Gein, deeply influenced by his mother, became highly submissive and adhered closely to her puritanical beliefs.
A significant conflict between Augusta and Henry, where Henry challenged their mother, led to Gein killing his brother under mysterious circumstances during a fire near their Plainfield farm.Though bruises were found on Henry's head, his death was ruled an accident after Gein reported him missing and led the police to the body [5] .After his mother died in 1945, Gein became a virtual hermit.He preserved the areas of the house his mother had used most frequently, turning them into a shrine [16] .Gein saw his mother as a strong figure who worked tirelessly for the family, both as the breadwinner in their grocery and on their farm.His intense love and devotion to his mother prevented him from finding his own identity, as he believed he could never be complete without her.With his newfound solitude, Gein immersed himself in reading obscure and disturbing magazines, as well as literature about adventures and anatomy, including accounts of living experiments during World War II [19] .
Gein's prolonged isolation following the deaths of his family members exacerbated his mental instability.Left alone, he descended into madness, causing significant disturbance in the small town of Plainfield.Gein's gender dysphoria, the feeling of discomfort or distress that arises when one's gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth, was acquired.Gein had a distorted belief that his mother symbolized strength, while his father represented weakness.He feared becoming a "weak" person and sought absolute control over others, similar to his mother.This desire for dominance led him to target women, as he believed turning individuals who weren't cowardly into victims would maximize his sense of conquest.According to a report by Crime and Investigation, Gein admitted to the police that he would monitor obituaries and exhume women who reminded him of his controlling and deeply religious mother.He would bring home the body parts he desired and engage in macabre craftsmanship.On other occasions, he would wear their skin and assume the identity of a woman.For example, he turned his victims' body parts, such as nipples, into handicrafts.Notably, Gein's victims shared similarities in age or characteristics with his mother [19] [24] .
Gein's necrophilia stemmed from his gender dysphoria.His intense desire for a possessive partner, combined with the belief that corpses wouldn't resist him, led him to choose corpses as sexual partners.Due to his mother's restrictions, Gein lacked outlets to release his frustrations about his home life.After his family's death, he became isolated with no limits on his actions, driving him to commit brutal murders and mutilations.However, it's worth noting that after his trial, Gein didn't engage in further violence or criminal behavior.This can be attributed to his mother's strong influence, albeit harsh, which prompted him to return to a milder demeanor [19] .
Gein's crimes impacted around ten more individuals and their families, who had to grapple with the fact that their loved ones' remains were used by Gein to create clothing and household items.In 1954, he killed Mary Hogan, a 51-year-old woman, an act he later confessed to but was not formally charged for.Hogan's body remained undiscovered until 1957, during the investigation into the murder of Bernice Worden, a 58-year-old woman, for which Gein was convicted.It was during this inquiry that law enforcement found the bodies of both women, along with various body parts and remains that Ed Gein had dug up and repurposed as decorations or clothing [16] .
Assessed by the county psychiatric institution, Gein was found to have suffered psychological and spiritual trauma, and he was considered mentally abnormal with chronic schizophrenia, which prevented him from being sentenced to first-degree murder.Gein was sent to the Central National Criminal Psychiatric Hospital in the United States for treatment and passed away from cancer in 1988 [5] .

John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy, born March 17, 1942, in Chicago, was an American serial killer who committed 33 murders between 1972 and 1978 [13] .His case was particularly shocking due to the stark contrast between his public image as a sociable and charitable clown performer and his hidden dark side.
Gacy's father, a psychopath, subjected their family, especially Gacy, to relentless abuse and cruelty, depriving Gacy of any positivity in his life.This traumatic experience fueled Gacy's growing resentment toward life, leading him to project his misery onto those around him [11] .
Theories suggest that Gacy's poor social skills resulted from a traumatic incident during his childhood when he was molested and injured by his father's friend.His family's lack of support worsened the situation.Schizophrenia diagnosis also contributed to his difficulty in understanding the wrongfulness of his actions [11] .
According to the Anomie Theory, individuals may turn to crime when they perceive societal inequality and injustice.Gacy, facing health and financial challenges, might have felt this strain and resorted to criminal activities to address this sense of inequality.His bisexuality remained hidden due to his strained relationship with his father, resulting in a negative childhood experience, contributing to his development as a serial killer [30] .
Psychoanalytic theories, such as the concepts of ego, superego, and ID, psychosexual stages, the life and death instinct, and the unconscious mind, can shed light on Gacy's motivations.Due to his antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), Gacy lacked a functioning superego, which is responsible for feelings of remorse.Consequently, he showed no remorse towards his victims or their families [30] .
Gacy's unconscious mind, containing repressed memories and negative experiences from his troubled childhood, likely influenced his actions.He occasionally adopted alter egos like "Pogo the Clown" or "Patches the Clown" during his crimes, believing that people wouldn't question clowns' behavior, allowing him to commit his heinous acts [30] .
The id, a component of psychoanalytic theory, serves as a reservoir of subconscious psychic energy driven by aggressive and sexual desires.Gacy's bisexuality led him to derive pleasure from sexually assaulting and killing men, motivating his ongoing acts of violence to satisfy his id [30] .
Applying the Learning Theory, the root of Gacy's actions can be traced.This theory encompasses classical and operant conditioning, with the latter being relevant to a serial killer's behaviour [29] ."My dad was domineering," Gacy explained."My dad drank a lot, and when he drank a lot, he was abusive to my mother and me… but I never swung at my dad, because I loved him for what he stood for [11] ." Gacy learned from his father that offering rewards to victims would make them more compliant, thus helping him achieve his goals.He realized that acting bigger, stronger, and meaner would increase his control over his victims.Gacy also used alcohol to lower the inhibitions of teenagers, making them more vulnerable and easier to manipulate during forced sexual encounters [29] .
In 1972, he committed his first murder by fatally stabbing Timothy McCoy, a 16-year-old boy whom he had picked up from a bus terminal.His Chicago residence became the site where he targeted and harmed his victims.Using deception, he would lure boys and young men into his home, often assuming the role of a clown, and would pretend to entertain them with magic tricks.Once he convinced his victims to wear handcuffs, he subjected them to sexual assault, and torture, and ultimately killed them.Subsequently, he buried a significant number of his victims beneath his house [29] .
Gacy's ability to persist in his crimes can be attributed to self-efficacy, as outlined in the integrated model of competency theory.Serial killers often bypass self-sanctioning mechanisms by distorting their actions, downplaying the causes, overlooking or reinterpreting the harm inflicted, and assigning blame or minimizing the victims.In Gacy's case, he appeared to recognize the wrongfulness of his deeds but distorted the truth to absolve himself of guilt.In 1980, Gacy was sentenced to death and spent fourteen years on death row before finally being executed in 1994 [10] .

Aileen Wuornos
Aileen Wuornos, in full Aileen Carol Wuornos, originally Aileen Pittman, was born on February 29, 1956, in Rochester, Michigan, U.S.She was an American serial killer who committed a series of murders between 1989 and 1990, taking the lives of at least seven people [1] .
Wuornos had a deeply troubled childhood.Her parents separated before she was born, and she and her brother initially lived with their father.However, her father was later sent to a mental hospital for child molestation and ultimately died by suicide while in prison.At the age of four, Wuornos and her brother went to live with their grandparents, but her upbringing did not improve [1] .Her grandmother struggled with alcoholism, and her grandfather subjected her to physical abuse and sexual assault [17] .Wuornos also engaged in a sexual relationship with her brother, Keith.As a teenager, she dropped out of school and turned to prostitution [7] .Her delinquent behavior started at a young age, including stealing, substance abuse, and early motherhood.Aileen's upbringing, characterized by her mother's alcoholism, may have contributed to her aggressive nature, potentially linked to central nervous system damage or dysfunction from prenatal alcohol exposure [17] .
Aileen's biological father displayed psychopathic traits, potentially suggesting a genetic predisposition for characteristics like poor behavioral control, lack of remorse, and reduced empathy.Combined with an abusive upbringing, Aileen's inherent aggression contributed to her antisocial behavior.She had a quick temper, engaged in fights, stole from family and friends, and committed destructive acts like arson.Wuornos faced multiple arrests, including theft, public disruption, threats, and fraud.Research indicates that inappropriate parenting can foster adolescent antisocial behaviour [17] .
Wuornos never experienced a healthy emotional relationship and lacked a typical mother-daughter bond.This contributed to her antisocial personality disorder and attachment disorder.She exhibited irresponsible and irrational behavior, manipulation, aggression, a lack of remorse for others, and an exaggerated sense of self-importance.Wuornos demonstrated "a disregard for and violation of the rights of others."These disorders were reflected in her crimes.She randomly selected all seven of her victims, making impulsive decisions.She had been exposed to murder multiple times, leading to the normalization of the act.Additionally, she exhibited symptoms of cluster B personality disorders, such as antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.Her challenges in forming healthy interpersonal relationships were apparent from childhood through adulthood [7][25] .
Wuornos grew up feeling unloved rather than loved.According to social learning theory, the emotional connection formed between children and caregivers is crucial for individual development.In Wuornos' life, she experienced abandonment by her mother and abuse from her grandparents.With her grandparents as her primary caregivers, she imitated the violence she had endured.Wuornos lacked the normal, healthy relationships typically found within a family.Studies have shown that individuals who grow up in abusive and violent conditions are more likely to struggle with controlling aggressive impulses physically, mentally, and emotionally.Also, Self-doubting attachment is associated with the emergence of antisocial and borderline personality disorders as well as abusive behavior.Wuornos displayed characteristics of borderline personality disorder, including instability in her life, an inability to sustain long-term relationships, a persistent desire to continue killing after imprisonment, and a notable absence of remorse and empathy for her victims [7][17] [21] .
According to Skinner's theory of operant conditioning, behaviors that receive positive rewards are more likely to be repeated in the future.In Aileen's case, she learned that theft resulted in rewards.
Her abusive upbringing did not provide her with appropriate social values.Aileen resorted to exchanging sexual favors for cigarettes and quick cash.Her crimes were characterized by extreme violence, including multiple gunshots at her victims, demonstrating a lack of mercy or remorse [25] .
Aileen Wuornos was convicted of one of the murders in 1992 and sentenced to death.She pleaded guilty to three more murders and admitted that she had killed for profit rather than self-defense.On October 9, 2002, in Starke, Florida, Wuornos was executed by lethal injections [18] .

Richard Chase
Richard Trenton Chase, born on May 23, 1950, in Sacramento, California, gained notoriety as "The Vampire Killer of Sacramento" due to his gruesome acts of drinking the blood of his victims and engaging in cannibalism.Chase claimed the lives of six known individuals [2] .
Anthony Richard Trenton Chase Tuma, known as Richard Trenton Chase, lived a life overshadowed by powerful delusions that ultimately had fatal consequences.Chase, as the eldest child, had a younger sister four years his junior.Despite the appearance of a loving family without sibling rivalry or unusual circumstances in his childhood, the reality was quite different.His family could be characterized as a typical dysfunctional 1950s family, characterized by frequent arguments and physical abuse.Chase's father imposed strict rules and resorted to physical violence, leading his mother and grandmother to accuse him of being excessively harsh on their son.Furthermore, Chase's mother grappled with mental instability, and mental health experts identified her as a classic enabler who raised a child with schizophrenia, displaying aggressive, hostile, and provocative behavior.The roots of Chase's issues can be traced back to his parents' marital conflicts [31] .
Before age eight, Chase experienced bedwetting issues, and by age ten, he became fascinated with setting fires, even burning a neighbor's house.He also exhibited cruelty towards animals, traits linked to the MacDonald triad, suggestive of sociopathy.As he grew older, Chase engaged in lying, and drug and alcohol use, was arrested for drug possession, and struggled with alcohol abuse.He showed difficulties with sexual function and resorted to theft without displaying remorse.Chase's behavior became increasingly abnormal, including locking himself in a closet, nudity in public, and brandishing a firearm, but his mother denied these issues [2] .
Chase was even arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.After his father bailed him out of jail, Chase claimed to have been "gassed" in jail due to excessive drug use.He constantly complained about various ailments, such as his stomach being upside down, his heart frequently stopping, and feeling like a walking corpse.He also harbored delusions, believing that his cranial bone had split apart and shifted beneath his skin [6] .
Other strange behavior was acted by Chase including flavouring the milk with soap and putting oranges on his head, believing it could absorb vitamin C.He also told the physician that his heart and kidneys had stopped working, his pulmonary artery had been stolen, his blood had stopped flowing, and his entire body was numb [26] .
Eventually, physicians diagnosed Chase with chronic paranoid schizophrenia, attributing it to his drug use, particularly marijuana, and the stressful life events he had experienced.Delusions were prominent in Chase's case, a common symptom of chronic paranoid schizophrenia [2][23] .While medication management could have helped control his condition, Chase's mother chose to handle his problems at home [26] .
Chase was released into his mother's care, but he believed she was poisoning him, leading him to move out and live alone.His fascination with blood resurfaced, and he began killing animals and drinking their blood, often consuming them raw or blending their organs with soda [6] .
One night, the police found Chase covered in blood and carrying a bucket with a liver in the back of his pickup truck.Since the blood was not human, they let Chase go.With no one to monitor his actions, he fell deeper into the grip of his delusions, and his crimes escalated.He opened the second victim's torso and left nipple pulled out parts of her intestine and mixed it with the yoghurt [2] .
Chase's method primarily consisted of entering unlocked homes, which resulted in the murders of five out of six known victims.In interviews, Chase explained that if a door was locked, he interpreted it as a signal that he was not wanted.Following his arrest, he pleaded not guilty because of insanity.On December 26, 1980, Chase was found dead in his prison cell.An autopsy revealed that he had taken an overdose of prescribed medications, ending his own life [26][27] .

Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo
Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo, also known as the Butcher of Rostov, the Reed Ripper, and the Rostov Ripper, was a serial killer born on October 16, 1936, and died on February 14, 1993.Over a span of 12 years, Chikatilo brutally murdered at least 53 women and children [4] .
Chikatilo was born in the village of Yabluchne during Joseph Stalin's regime.He suffered from near-sightedness, brain lesions, and hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain.The time of his birth coincided with a severe famine, which resulted in a childhood marked by starvation and death [4] .
Coming from a financially struggling family of farmers, Chikatilo had to share a bed with his parents.Unfortunately, his condition caused him to be a chronic bed wetter.Each time he wet the bed, his mother would punish him, unaware that his brain damage affected his ability to control his bladder and seminal emissions [4] .
At the age of five, Chikatilo's mother told him a disturbing story that his older brother, Stepan, had been taken by their neighbors and cannibalized due to the famine.While this story cannot be verified, it is believed to have influenced Chikatilo's later acts of cannibalism.This may explain why he would cut off pieces and bite or chew on his victims during his crimes [3][32] .Chikatilo also had a morbid fascination with stories about German prisoners being tortured by Soviet captors, which further fuelled his violent tendencies [14] .
When Chikatilo was a teen, he had his first sexual experience through physical violence and overpowering a younger girl.The wrestling aroused him and led to ejaculation.This experience likely played a significant role in motivating his subsequent murders.Later in life, Chikatilo discovered he had erectile dysfunction, but he found pleasure in the suffering and struggling of his victims, which would cause him to ejaculate.This sadistic pleasure fuelled his desire for more victims [3] .
Growing up during Stalin's regime, Chikatilo witnessed bombings, fires, and shootings.His father was enlisted in the fight for the USSR during World War II and was captured by the Germans.During his father's absence, Chikatilo's mother gave birth to a girl named Tatyana, whom they believed was conceived through rape by a German soldier.When Chikatilo's father returned from the war, he received no rewards and faced punishment for being captured for an extended period and surrendering [4] .
Chikatilo exhibited signs that he may have had borderline personality disorder, characterized by erratic emotions.His emotions were unpredictable, likely stemming from his unstable home environment, absentee father, and traumatic beatings from his mother.These factors contributed to his erratic emotions and behaviors.Another indication of Chikatilo's borderline traits was his unpredictable and aggressive sexual behavior.This unpredictability is reflected in his choice of victims, ranging in age from 7 to 40 and encompassing both males and females.His impulsive and unpredictable methods of killing demonstrated the chaotic nature of his crimes [3] .
Later in life, Chikatilo became a teacher but proved to be ineffective in his role.He was subjected to teasing and harassment from his students, which eroded his respect for them and his ability to control the classroom.Eventually, he resorted to molesting his female students, leading to complaints and accusations of child molestation from students of both sexes [4] .
Chikatilo's killing spree began in 1978, and all his victims shared a common characteristic: mutilation [14] .
Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo was eventually convicted of 52 murders and sentenced to death [4] .

Conclusion
In conclusion, the article and analysis of the histories and family backgrounds of seven offenders highlight the profound impact of family and childhood experiences on an individual's mental and psychological well-being.A correlation between psychological disorders and factors such as family dynamics, school experiences, and personal characteristics can be seen among these criminals.Childhood experiences are the main culprit in shaping mental and psychological disorders, thus emphasizing the critical role of family and early environment in determining an individual's overall mental health.It can be concluded that it is important to prioritize individual support systems within one's surroundings to promote positive mental well-being and to prevent the development of psychological disorders.Parents should focus on children's mental health by paying attention to children's behavior and environmental factors around them.