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Firesetting

MedGen UID:
42028
•Concept ID:
C0016142
•
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonyms: Behavior, Firesetting; Behaviors, Firesetting; Firesetting Behavior; Firesetting Behaviors; Pyromania; Pyromanias
SNOMED CT: Pyromania (600009); Firesetting behavior (600009); Firesetting (248015004)

Definition

A disorder characterized by a fascination with fire and recurrent episodes of fire setting during which the individual experiences a rising subjective sense of tension before the fire setting and a sense of gratification or relief when setting the fire. There is no ulterior motive (such as monetary gain or the expression of political ideology) to the fire setting. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVFiresetting

Professional guidelines

PubMed

An evaluation of a specialist firesetting treatment programme for male and female mentally disordered offenders (the FIP-MO).
Tyler N, Gannon TA, Lockerbie L, Ó Ciardha C
Clin Psychol Psychother 2018 May;25(3):388-400. Epub 2017 Dec 28 doi: 10.1002/cpp.2172. PMID: 29282790
Mental illness and psychiatric treatment amongst firesetters, other offenders and the general community.
Ducat L, Ogloff JR, McEwan T
Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2013 Oct;47(10):945-53. Epub 2013 Jun 5 doi: 10.1177/0004867413492223. PMID: 23739314
Assessment of dimensions of childhood firesetting among patients and nonpatients: the Firesetting Risk Interview.
Kolko DJ, Kazdin AE
J Abnorm Child Psychol 1989 Apr;17(2):157-76. doi: 10.1007/BF00913791. PMID: 2745897

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Intervention for Firesetting Offenders: A Case Study.
Winters GM, Brereton A, Zychlinski N
J Correct Health Care 2022 Dec;28(6):361-367. Epub 2022 Nov 14 doi: 10.1089/jchc.21.10.0107. PMID: 36374295
Adult Externalizing and Suicidal Behavior in Children Who Set Fires: Analysis of a 40 Year Birth Cohort Study.
Tyler N, Foulds JA, Dhakal B, Boden JM
Psychiatry 2022 Winter;85(4):373-386. Epub 2022 Mar 14 doi: 10.1080/00332747.2022.2045845. PMID: 35286251
Juvenile animal cruelty and firesetting behaviour.
Baglivio MT, Wolff KT, DeLisi M, Vaughn MG, Piquero AR
Crim Behav Ment Health 2017 Dec;27(5):484-500. Epub 2016 Sep 4 doi: 10.1002/cbm.2018. PMID: 27593212
Juvenile Firesetting.
Peters B, Freeman B
Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 2016 Jan;25(1):99-106. Epub 2015 Oct 21 doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2015.08.009. PMID: 26593122
Creating a firestorm: a review of children who deliberately light fires.
Lambie I, Randell I
Clin Psychol Rev 2011 Apr;31(3):307-27. Epub 2011 Jan 12 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.12.010. PMID: 21382537

Diagnosis

Adult Externalizing and Suicidal Behavior in Children Who Set Fires: Analysis of a 40 Year Birth Cohort Study.
Tyler N, Foulds JA, Dhakal B, Boden JM
Psychiatry 2022 Winter;85(4):373-386. Epub 2022 Mar 14 doi: 10.1080/00332747.2022.2045845. PMID: 35286251
Juvenile animal cruelty and firesetting behaviour.
Baglivio MT, Wolff KT, DeLisi M, Vaughn MG, Piquero AR
Crim Behav Ment Health 2017 Dec;27(5):484-500. Epub 2016 Sep 4 doi: 10.1002/cbm.2018. PMID: 27593212
Subtypes of firesetters.
Dalhuisen L, Koenraadt F, Liem M
Crim Behav Ment Health 2017 Feb;27(1):59-75. Epub 2015 Nov 25 doi: 10.1002/cbm.1984. PMID: 26602887
Firesetting, arson, pyromania, and the forensic mental health expert.
Burton PR, McNiel DE, Binder RL
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2012;40(3):355-65. PMID: 22960918
Firesetting.
Suss AL
Adolesc Med 1998 Jun;9(2):385-9, vii. PMID: 10961244

Therapy

A systematic review of the efficacy of psychological treatments for people detained under the Mental Health Act.
Baldwin G, Beazley P
J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2023 Aug;30(4):600-619. Epub 2023 Feb 5 doi: 10.1111/jpm.12897. PMID: 36655589
Specialist group therapy for psychological factors associated with firesetting: Evidence of a treatment effect from a non-randomized trial with male prisoners.
Gannon TA, Alleyne E, Butler H, Danby H, Kapoor A, Lovell T, Mozova K, Spruin E, Tostevin T, Tyler N, Ciardha CÓ
Behav Res Ther 2015 Oct;73:42-51. Epub 2015 Jul 16 doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2015.07.007. PMID: 26248329
Phenomenology and treatment of behavioural addictions.
Grant JE, Schreiber LR, Odlaug BL
Can J Psychiatry 2013 May;58(5):252-9. doi: 10.1177/070674371305800502. PMID: 23756285
Decreased juvenile arson and firesetting recidivism after implementation of a multidisciplinary prevention program.
Franklin GA, Pucci PS, Arbabi S, Brandt MM, Wahl WL, Taheri PA
J Trauma 2002 Aug;53(2):260-4; discussion 264-6. doi: 10.1097/00005373-200208000-00012. PMID: 12169931
Secondary prevention of childhood firesetting.
Adler R, Nunn R, Northam E, Lebnan V, Ross R
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1994 Oct;33(8):1194-202. doi: 10.1097/00004583-199410000-00015. PMID: 7982870

Prognosis

Not the Sum of Its Parts: A Critical Review of the MacDonald Triad.
Parfitt CH, Alleyne E
Trauma Violence Abuse 2020 Apr;21(2):300-310. Epub 2018 Apr 9 doi: 10.1177/1524838018764164. PMID: 29631500
Subtypes of firesetters.
Dalhuisen L, Koenraadt F, Liem M
Crim Behav Ment Health 2017 Feb;27(1):59-75. Epub 2015 Nov 25 doi: 10.1002/cbm.1984. PMID: 26602887
The link between maltreatment and juvenile firesetting: correlates and underlying mechanisms.
Root C, Mackay S, Henderson J, Del Bove G, Warling D
Child Abuse Negl 2008 Feb;32(2):161-76. Epub 2008 Mar 4 doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.07.004. PMID: 18308389
Juvenile firesetters.
Sparber A
J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs 2005 Jul-Sep;18(3):93-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6171.2005.00019.x. PMID: 16137265
Firesetting.
Suss AL
Adolesc Med 1998 Jun;9(2):385-9, vii. PMID: 10961244

Clinical prediction guides

The Adapted Firesetting Assessment Scale: reliability and validity.
Collins J, Langdon PE, Barnoux M
J Intellect Disabil Res 2022 Jul;66(7):642-654. Epub 2022 May 27 doi: 10.1111/jir.12950. PMID: 35621252Free PMC Article
Not the Sum of Its Parts: A Critical Review of the MacDonald Triad.
Parfitt CH, Alleyne E
Trauma Violence Abuse 2020 Apr;21(2):300-310. Epub 2018 Apr 9 doi: 10.1177/1524838018764164. PMID: 29631500
Subtypes of firesetters.
Dalhuisen L, Koenraadt F, Liem M
Crim Behav Ment Health 2017 Feb;27(1):59-75. Epub 2015 Nov 25 doi: 10.1002/cbm.1984. PMID: 26602887
"Inflaming your neighbors": copycat firesetting in adolescents.
Lambie I, Randell I, McDowell H
Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 2014 Sep;58(9):1020-32. Epub 2013 Jul 5 doi: 10.1177/0306624X13492657. PMID: 23832794
Two-year prediction of children's firesetting in clinically referred and nonreferred samples.
Kolko DJ, Day BT, Bridge JA, Kazdin AE
J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2001 Mar;42(3):371-80. PMID: 11321206

Recent systematic reviews

A systematic review of the efficacy of psychological treatments for people detained under the Mental Health Act.
Baldwin G, Beazley P
J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2023 Aug;30(4):600-619. Epub 2023 Feb 5 doi: 10.1111/jpm.12897. PMID: 36655589

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