Pathological Fire-Setting 1951–1991: A Review

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to review the whole literature on pathological fire-setting and related fields since 1951 in order to present a state of the art picture of our contemporary knowledge about this phenomenon. Papers were initially selected by using a Medline search. From the articles obtained in this way the references had to be pursued, because many relevant papers and books in this research field of different scientific and practical disciplines are not listed in conventional literature services. Finally, only those contributions were selected which provided new information when published, by original research, theoretical interpretation or practical implications. The last forty years have brought a growing body of data and understanding--especially concerning pathological fire-setting by children--etiology, and therapy, which often proves successful. The situation remains unclear for arson by psychologically disturbed adults and we still have a poor understanding of arson without apparent motive. There is a conflict of opinion as to whether adult fire-setters are suitable for therapy and therapeutic efforts dealing with psychologically disturbed adults are rare. With increasing knowledge about child fire-setting and its successful treatment, etiological and therapeutic models for adult fire-setting behaviour may be developed. Research into the latter area should focus on both biographical and social conditions of development from childhood on as well as biological measures. Both will be reviewed here.

Risk Factors for Recidivistic Arson in Adult Offenders

“…Criminal history was examined for the sample of 88 incarcerated adult offenders with a current or prior fire-related offense history. When serial and one-time arsonists were compared, it was found significantly more serial than one-time arsonists reported involvement with property offences (97% compared to 80%), consistent with previous research (e.g., Barnett & Spitzer, 1994;Hurley & Monahan, 1969). In contrast to previous work, however, there was a stronger presence of drug and violent offences in this arson sample.…”

Firesetting: Psychopathology, theory and treatment

“…Within the adult firesetting population, commonly documented comorbid diagnoses are schizophrenia (Geller, 1987;McKerracher & Dacre, 1966;Ritchie & Huff, 1999;Virkkunen, 1974), substance dependence (Grant & Kim, 2007;RŠsŠnen et al, 1996;Ritchie & Huff, 1999), affective disorders (Geller, 1987;Grant & Kim, 2007;Ritchie & Huff, 1999), anxiety disorders (Grant & Kim, 2007), and personality disorder (Barnett and Spitzer, 1994;Geller, 1987;Lindberg et al, 2005;Tennent et al, 1971;Virkkunen, DeJong, Bartko, Goodwin, & Linnoila, 1989). PyromaniaÑin particularÑis also associated with impulse control disorders; most notably kleptomania and compulsive buying (Grant & Kim, 2007).…”

“…Many psychoanalysts hypothesize that firesetting originates from either a urethral or oral fixated sexual drive. For example, firesetting has often been hypothesized to result from an inherent association between sexual urges and urination such that (i) youngsters are believed to experience enuresis as a result of attempting to extinguish firesetting occurring in dreams, and (ii) firesetting is believed to symbolize repressed sexual urges (Barnett & Spitzer, 1994;Gaynor & Hatcher, 1987;Glancy, Spiers, Pitt, & Dvoskin, 2003;Kaufman, Heims, & Reiser, 1961;Vreelan & Levin, 1980). However, although psychoanalytical theory is an infamous branch of psychology, none of the underlying tenets have been convincingly validated (poor empirical adequacy), and, as noted earlier, sexual desires are implicated in very few firesetting cases (see Barnett & Spitzer, 1994).…”

“…Over the past two decades, researchers have focused on the role of biology and neurobiological impairment in order to understand and explain firesetting (see Barnett & Spitzer, 1994;Virkkunen, 1984;Virkkunen, Goldman, Nielsen, & Linnoila, 1995;Virkkunen, Nuutila, Goodwin, & Linnoila, 1987;Virkkunen et al, 1994). The main assertion underlying this perspective is that firesettersÑparticularly those regarded as impulsive, or who repeatedly firesetÑhold neurotransmitter defects in the form of decreased concentrations of cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites (i.e., 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid; 5-HIAA, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol; MHPG).…”

“…The most common diagnoses associated with firesetting appears to be conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder (APA, 2000;Bradford, 1982; Heath et al, 1985;Kolko, 1985;Kolko & Kazdin, 1991a;Kosky & Silburn, 1984;MacKay et al, 2006;Martin, Bergen, Richardson, Roeger, & Allison, 2004;Repo & Virkkunen, 1997;Sakheim & Osborn, 1999). In fact, empirical research with Finnish firesetter recidivists shows that antisocial personality disorder predicts recidivist firesetting (Lindberg et al, 2005) and, conversely, firesetting behavior flags those individuals characterized by the most extreme antisocial pathology (Becker, Stuewig, Herrera & McCloskey, 2004;Martin et al, 2004).Within the adult firesetting population, commonly documented comorbid diagnoses are schizophrenia (Geller, 1987;McKerracher & Dacre, 1966;Ritchie & Huff, 1999;Virkkunen, 1974), substance dependence (Grant & Kim, 2007;RŠsŠnen et al, 1996;Ritchie & Huff, 1999), affective disorders (Geller, 1987;Grant & Kim, 2007;Ritchie & Huff, 1999), anxiety disorders (Grant & Kim, 2007), and personality disorder (Barnett and Spitzer, 1994;Geller, 1987;Lindberg et al, 2005;Tennent et al, 1971;Virkkunen, DeJong, Bartko, Goodwin, & Linnoila, 1989). PyromaniaÑin particularÑis also associated with impulse control disorders; most notably kleptomania and compulsive buying (Grant & Kim, 2007).…”