Juvenile Firesetters as multiple problem youth with particular interests in fire: A meta-analysis

Perks, Danielle; Watt, Bruce D.; Fritzon, Katarina; Doley, Rebekah

doi:10.1016/j.avb.2019.04.003

Cited by 20 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Although Bowling and Omar (2014) found that while poor academic performance was positively associated with fire setting, attitudes toward school were even more strongly associated with fire setting. Similar findings were reported by Perks and colleagues (2019). Children and adolescents with a poor attitude toward school were more likely to set fires than children and adolescents with a more neutral or positive attitude toward school.…”

Section: Social Functioningsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…The Academic Problems Scale was predictive of multiple minor and serious incidents (M+) of fire setting, echoing previous studies finding that youth who engaged in fire setting have greater difficulties in school (e.g., Bowling & Omar, 2014; Perks et al, 2019; Showers & Pickrell, 1987). Of note, in comparing the different fire-setting groups, academic problems significantly predicted multiple minor and serious incidents (M+) when compared to the other three groups (N, S, and M).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…Depression and hopelessness are frequently noted as well (Becker et al, 2004; Martin et al, 2004). A recent meta-analysis among juvenile fire setters found that psychopathology, including substance misuse, emotion dysregulation, depression, self-harm/ideation, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety were all associated with fire-setting behaviors (Perks et al, 2019).…”

Section: Psychopathologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The authors hypothesized that covert antisocial behaviors may be predictive of fire setting over and above overt antisocial and aggressive behaviors, especially since covert behavior may be related to other property offenses. The meta-analysis by Perks and colleagues (2019) found that behavioral risk factors such as violent/dangerous offenses, property offenses/theft, overt and covert antisocial behavior, cruelty, aggression, and criminal justice system involvement were positively associated with fire setting among juveniles.…”

Section: Antisocial Behaviors and Aggressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Retrospective Study of Fire Setting Among Boys in a Child Welfare Sample

Brereton

Lamade

Lee

et al. 2020

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice

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This study aimed to assess fire-setting behaviors within a child welfare sample. The youth were divided into four groups based on their fire-setting behavior (e.g., no incidents, one incident, multiple minor incidents, and multiple severe incidents). Groups were compared based on five factors: overt antisocial behavior, covert antisocial behavior, global adjustment, psychiatric history, and learning deficits. Fire setters displayed more delinquent behavior and had more extensive psychiatric histories than non-fire-setting youth. Further, the youth with multiple serious incidents of fire-setting behavior displayed more delinquent behavior and had more extensive psychiatric histories than any of the fire-setting groups. These findings clearly suggest that fire setters, as a group, are not homogeneous with respect to antisocial behavior or psychiatric impairment and that gravity of fire setting increased as a function of greater psychopathology and greater delinquency when compared to their peers.

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Section: Social Functioningsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Psychopathologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Antisocial Behaviors and Aggressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Retrospective Study of Fire Setting Among Boys in a Child Welfare Sample

Brereton

Lamade

Lee

et al. 2020

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We acknowledge limitations to the current study primarily centering on omitted variables. Many factors beyond childhood abuse and neglect contribute to the forensic outcomes herein including paraphilic disorders, behavioral disorders, homicidal ideation, psychotic disorders, and diagnostic history [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ]. The many null effects for fire setter, for instance, likely occurred as we lacked these variables.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Forensic Typologies: Getting Specific about Trauma among Institutionalized Youth

Jahic

Trulson

Caudill

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to various conduct and behavior problems within juvenile delinquents, but fewer studies focused on these associations among specific forensic typologies of offending. Utilizing data from 3382 institutionalized delinquents in Texas, logistic regression models indicated multiple associations between ACEs and forensic typologies in both adjusted and unadjusted models, with sexual abuse and physical abuse emerging as the most consistent and robust predictors. Supplemental sensitivity models confirmed the associations between sexual abuse and physical abuse among youth who fit multiple forensic typologies. Models fared poorly at identifying youth who are engaged in fire setting. Implications for total and singular ACEs are discussed, along with how those relate to more clinically meaningful, forensic forms of juvenile delinquency.

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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and youth firesetting: A call on criminal justice, emergency responder, and fire prevention specialists to become informed

Brown

Spiller²,

Carter

et al. 2021

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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Central nervous system damage resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol, often referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), commonly manifests as lacking cognitive functioning, problem solving, impulsivity, memory, executive functioning, and social skill deficits. For individuals with FASD, these brain‐based deficits translate into impulsive behaviors and poorly thought‐out decision‐making, coupled with an inability to anticipate and recognize the sometimes very severe consequences of their behaviors. Not unexpectedly, individuals with FASD frequently find themselves disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system and mental health services. For some individuals with FASD, these behaviors can also include firesetting. First responders, like other health and legal professionals, are often unable to recognize the behavioral indicators of FASD, primarily due to a lack of training. As a result, firesetting behaviors are often attributed to deliberate, willful acts of delinquency, a desire to damage property, thrill seeking, or as attempts for personal gain, rather than being viewed as maladaptive attempts to solve problems by individuals who lack the tools to do this in more appropriate ways. These same skill deficits also present when individuals with FASD are interviewed about their involvement in such behaviors, sometimes resulting in confabulation, suggestibility, and false confessions. Further education and training in FASD are vital for first responders if they are to better support individuals with FASD and minimize their chances of becoming involved in firesetting behaviors. Furthermore, this training and education will help ensure that first responders can intervene in more appropriately when crisis situations do occur. This article will outline key behavioral symptoms of FASD as well as provide first responders with suggestions as to how to best support individuals when FASD is suspected. The brief quote that follows highlights some of the key challenges facing individuals with FASD and how poor decision‐making and impulsiveness can result in severe consequences for the individual and those around them.

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Juvenile Firesetters as multiple problem youth with particular interests in fire: A meta-analysis

Cited by 20 publications

References 47 publications

Retrospective Study of Fire Setting Among Boys in a Child Welfare Sample

Retrospective Study of Fire Setting Among Boys in a Child Welfare Sample

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Forensic Typologies: Getting Specific about Trauma among Institutionalized Youth

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and youth firesetting: A call on criminal justice, emergency responder, and fire prevention specialists to become informed

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