Domains of risk in the developmental continuity of fire setting

Abstract

Juvenile fire setting is a serious, dangerous, and costly behavior. The majority of research examining youth fire setting has been cross-sectional. We sought to examine early risk attributes that could differentiate fire setters from non-fire setters, in addition to examining their association with the developmental continuity of fire-setting behavior into late childhood. Using a sample of 361 youth drawn from 4 different U.S. communities, this study examined the association between a broad array of risk variables from the child, parent, and family domains, and fire-setting behavior over the course of 2 developmental periods: prior to 4th grade, and between 4th and 6th grade. Youth were classified into I of 4 groups (non-fire setters, desisters, later-onset fire setters, and persisters) based on their reported fire-setting behavior during these periods. Children who set fires had higher levels of risk on most of the variables assessed. Persistence of fire setting was associated with elevated parental depressive symptoms and more interparental conflict and ineffective discipline. The findings highlight the need for multi-component preventive interventions to address the breadth of risk experienced by fire-setting youth and their families.JUVENILE FIRE setting represents a behavior that can become serious, dangerous, and costly. Juveniles are arrested for a greater share of arsons than any other type of crime, accounting for 50% of the fire-setting offenders, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (U.S. Department of Justice, 1999). Additionally, fire setting may be a marker of more seriously disturbed youth, as fire-setting youth tend to exhibit a variety of aggressive and antisocial acts (Stickle & Blechman, 2002). Youth who are actually adjudicated for arson have increased probability of being placed in a residential treatment facility. Even preadolescent youth represent a large proportion of fire setters who have caused serious damage; for example, over one-third of the juvenile arson arrests in 1997 involved children age 12 or younger (U.S. Department of Justice, 1999).Despite the lack of strong theory in this area, knowledge about fire setting has been greatly advanced through the research and conceptual framework developed by Kazdin (e.g., 1985, 1992), most of which has focused on youth between the ages of 6 and 13. In the last 20 years, three general domains have emerged for risk factors associated with fire setting: characteristics of the child, aspects of parenting, and the broader family climate. Among the (Gruber, Heck, & Mintzer, 1981;Jacobson, 1985;Sakheim & Osborn, 1999;Showers & Pickrell, 1987), having higher impulsivity or traits of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Geller, 1992;Sakheim & Osborn, 1986), having social skill deficits and poor peer relations (Kolko, Kazdin, & Meyer, 1985;Sakheim & Osborn, 1999;Sakheim, Osborn, & Abrams, 1991;Sakheim, Vigdor, Gordon, & Helprin, 1985), displaying other conduct problems or antisocial behavior (Heath, Hardesty, Goldfin...

Research and Practice in Adolescent Firesetting

“…These findings are similar to McCarty and McMahon's (2005) study of younger community children, in which firesetters differed from nonfiresetters on 13 of 19 risk factors, including hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggression, and antisocial behavior.…”

“…The child's initial level of covert behavior and involvement in firesetting were predictors of recidivism at follow-up. McCarty and McMahon (2005) found that persistent firesetters in their longitudinal study experienced more harsh discipline and physical abuse from their parents, and lower parental warmth than nonfiresetters. Compared to persistent firesetters, those who desisted had greater academic achievement.…”

Firesetting: Psychopathology, theory and treatment

“…Studies show that, relative to non-firesetters, children who set fires are more likely to originate from large and financially impoverished families (Bradford, 1982;Heath, Hardesty, Goldfine, & Walker, 1983) characterized by neglectful parenting styles (Showers & Pickrell, 1987;Slavkin, 2000) and physical or sexual abuse (McCarty & McMahon, 2005; Moore, Thompson-Pope, & Whited, 1996;Showers & Pickrell, 1987). Such experiences are highly likely to negatively affect a childÕs ability to form secure attachments with caregivers (Perry, 1997), and also their ability to develop appropriate social skills and affective self regulatory behavior during adolescence and adulthood (Ainsworth, 1989;Bowlby, 1969Bowlby, , 1973Root, MacKay, Henderson, Del Bove, & Warling, 2008).…”

Fire Setting Behavior in a Child Welfare System: Prevalence, Characteristics and Co-Occurring Needs

“…Children and youth who set fires can be very difficult to manage. These children and youth have been reported to have a greater likelihood of psychopathology in general (Dadds and Fraser 2005) and antisocial traits in particular (McCarty and McMahon 2005), self-harming behaviors (Miller and Fritzon 2007), and sexual deviance (Fras 1997). Others have reported fire setting among children and youth with developmental disabilities (Taylor and Lindsay 2007;Taylor et al 2006).…”