Self-Reported Juvenile Firesetting: Results from Two National Survey Datasets

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to address gaps in existing research by examining the relationship between academic performance and attention problems with juvenile firesetting. Two datasets from the Achenbach System for Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) were used. The Factor Analysis Dataset (N = 975) was utilized and results indicated that adolescents who report lower academic performance are more likely to set fires. Additionally, adolescents who report a poor attitude toward school are even more likely to set fires. Results also indicated that attention problems are predictive of self-reported firesetting. The National Survey Dataset (N = 1158) was analyzed to determine the prevalence of firesetting in a normative sample and also examine whether these children reported higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. It was found that 4.5% of adolescents in the generalized sample reported firesetting. Firesetters reported more internalizing, externalizing, and total problems than their non-firesetting peers. In this normative sample, firesetters were found to have lower academic performance and more attention problems. Limitations include the low overall number of firesetters in each dataset (Factor Analysis n = 123 and National Survey n = 53) and the inclusion of children who had been referred for services in the Factor Analysis Dataset.

Risk Factors for Future Offending in Child and Adolescent Firesetters Following a Fire Service Intervention Program

“…Intentional firesetting represents one of the most complex and costly antisocial behaviors engaged in by a significant minority of young people. Although estimates vary, community studies indicate that firesetting occurs in between 5% and 38% of children and adolescents (Bowling, Merrick, & Omar, 2014; Chen, Arria, & Anthony, 2003; Dadds & Fraser, 2006; Del Bove, Caprara, Pastorelli, & Paciello, 2008; MacKay, Paglia-Boak, Henderson, Marton, & Adlaf, 2009; Martin, Bergen, Richardson, Roeger, & Allison, 2004; Watt, Geritz, Hasan, Harden, & Doley, 2015). Prevalence rates in clinical populations have been reported to be substantially higher, with between 46% and 67% of young people in inpatient and offending samples reporting a history of firesetting (Kolko, Day, Bridge, & Kazdin, 2001; Watt et al, 2015).…”

“…Deliberate firesetting by young people is increasingly conceptualized as occurring within the context of antisocial behavior. Firesetting is a diagnostic criterion of conduct disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), and many risk factors for firesetting behavior, such as family dysfunction, abuse history, impulsivity, and poor school performance, are common to conduct problems (Bowling et al, 2014; Hoerold & Tranah, 2014; Lambie & Randell, 2011; Murray & Farrington, 2010; Walsh & Lambie, 2013). A recent study reported that youth offenders were nearly three and a half times more likely to have engaged in firesetting than young people in the community (Watt et al, 2015).…”

“…At this time, factors associated with firesetting behavior include male gender, family dysfunction, history of abuse, victimization, anxiety, depression, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and ADHD symptoms, interpersonal difficulties, cruelty to animals, and fire interest (Lambie & Randell, 2011). More recently, similar fire-specific variables, such as positive affect toward fire and preoccupation with fire (Watt et al, 2015), and educational variables, such as lower academic achievement and a negative attitude toward school (Bowling et al, 2014), have been identified to predict self-reported firesetting. Impulsivity has also been reported to be a significant predictor of the frequency of deliberate firesetting and is recommended as an area to target in both assessment and treatment (Hoerold & Tranah, 2014).…”

Evidence-based assessment and treatment of children and adolescents who misuse fire.

“…Among psychiatric samples, the incidence of fire setting has ranged from 2.3% to 15% for outpatients and 14.3% to 34.7% for inpatients (Del Bove et al, 2008; Kolko & Kazdin, 1988; MacKay et al, 2009). Among community samples, rates among children ages 4–8 years are as low as 5% (Dadds & Fraser, 2006), with about 4.5% of adolescents found to engage in fire setting (Howell Bowling et al, 2013). Further complicating the problem are the high rates of repeat fire behavior among youth, with up to 59% reengaging in fire involvement (Kolko et al, 2001; Kolko & Kazdin, 1992; MacKay et al, 2006).…”

“…For emotional and behavioral regulation (internalizing distress, impulse, and attentional control) in combination with fire interest, the regulation of emotions such as anger and internalizing distress have been implicated in the fire behavior of children and adolescents (Del Bove et al, 2008; Howell Bowling et al, 2013; Kolko & Kazdin, 1991). Children self-identified as highly curious about fire (including “interest” and “excitement”) may be more emotionally dysregulated and more involved with fire.…”