U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

YOUTHFUL FIRE-SETTERS - AN EXPLORATORY STUDY IN PERSONALITY AND BACKGROUND

NCJ Number
54899
Author(s)
E Y SIEGELMAN; W S FOLKMAN
Date Published
1971
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXAMINED PERSONALITY TRAITS AND BACKGROUNDS OF YOUNG FIRST OFFENSE FIRE SETTERS AND YOUNG MULTIPLE-FIRE SETTERS TO DETERMINE IF THE TWO SETS ARE DISTINGUISHABLE FROM ONE ANOTHER.
Abstract
THESE BROAD HYPOTHESES WERE POSED: (1) CHILDREN IDENTIFIED AS MULTIPLE-FIRE SETTERS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY A GROUP OF ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS INCLUDING EXCESSIVE ACTIVITY, AGGRESSION, PSYCHOSOMATIC DIFFICULTIES, LEARNING PROBLEMS, BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, AND FAMILY DIFFICULTIES; AND (2) THE CORE PROBLEM IN FIRE SETTING IS THE WAY IN WHICH RAGE IS HANDLED. FOR THIS CALIFORNIA STUDY, 30 CHILDREN IDENTIFIED AS MULTIPLE-FIRE SETTERS, 22 CHILDREN IDENTIFIED AS SINGLE FIRE-SETTERS, AND 27 NORMAL CHILDREN WERE ADMINISTERED A THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST, A PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE, AND A MEDICAL HISTORY FORM. MOTHERS OF THE SUBJECTS WERE CONTACTED TO GATHER FURTHER DATA ON THE SUBJECTS' PERSONALITY AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AND INFORMATION ON INCIDENCE OF FIRE SETTING. DATA WERE ANALYZED ACCORDING TO CATEGORIES OF SUBJECTS DETERMINED BY FIRE-SETTING BEHAVIOR. RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE HYPOTHESES ARE SUBSTANTIATED. PROBLEM FIRE SETTING BEHAVIOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH A VARIETY OF OTHER BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND OCCURS IN A DISTURBED FAMILY SETTING. AMONG THE MOST CONSPICUOUS FACTORS RELATED TO MULTIPLE FIRE SETTINGS ARE THOSE HAVING TO DO WITH FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS AND THE CHILD'S RELATIONSHIP TO FAMILY MEMBERS. PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW FAMILY INCOME, LOW EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT BY PARENTS, LARGE FAMILY SIZE, AND MARITAL DISCORD WERE PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MULTIPLE FIRE SETTER GROUP. FIRE SETTING MAY HAVE DIFFERENT MEANINGS FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILDREN. IT MAY BE A MEANS OF REVENGE, ATTEMPT TO GAIN ATTENTION, OR A PLEA FOR ADULT AUTHORITY TO HELP DEAL WITH FEELINGS. SINGLE FIRE SETTERS ARE POTENTIAL MULTIPLE-FIRE SETTERS AND SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED AND GIVEN COUNSELING. (DAG)