Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T04:19:43.394Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Characteristics of Fire-Setters a Study and Proposed Multiaxial Psychiatric Classification

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

B. K. Puri ,
R. Baxter  and
C. C. Cordess
B. K. Puri*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, St Dunstan's Road, London W6 8RP
R. Baxter
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Bexley Hospital, Old Bexley Lane, Bexley, Kent
C. C. Cordess
Affiliation:
North West Thames Forensic Psychiatry Service, Three Bridges Regional Secure Unit, St Bernard's Wing, Ealing Hospital, Uxbridge Road, Southall, Middlesex UB1 3EU
*
Dr Puri, Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, St Dunstan's Road, London W6 8RP
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

The study set out to review the relationship between mental disorder and fire-setting.

Method

Sociodemographic, psychiatric, and medical data were retrospectively obtained from case notes of a group of 36 fire-setters referred to the North West Thames Forensic Psychiatry Service over a four-year period.

Results

Of the sample, 28% were female and one-third had no mental illness; 28% had a previous medical history of possible relevance. Psychoactive substance abuse was common. There was a significant disturbance of interpersonal relationships. Eighty-five per cent lived alone, and 44% of the female fire-setters had a history of sexual abuse.

Conclusion

On the basis of this study, a multiaxial classification system of fire-setting is proposed.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 166 , Issue 3 , March 1995 , pp. 393 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barnett, W. & Spitzer, M. (1994) Pathological fire-setting 1951–1991: a review. Medicine, Science and the Law, 34, 4–20.Google Scholar
Fleszar-Szumigajuwa, J. (1969) The perpetrators of arson in forensic psychiatric material. Polish Medical Journal, 8, 212–219.Google Scholar
O'Sullivan, G. & Kelleher, M. (1987) A study of firesetters in the south-west of Ireland. British Journal of Psychiatry, 151, 818–823.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prins, H. A. (1978) Their candles are all out … or are they? Some reflections on arson and arsonists. Journal of the Royal Society of Health, 98, 191–195.Google Scholar
Prins, H. A. (1994a) Fire-Raising: Its Motivation and Management. London: Routledge/Tavistock.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prins, H. A. (1994b) Editorial: fire – “good servant – bad master”. Medicine, Science and the Law, 34, 2–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prins, H. A., Tennent, G. & Trick, K. (1985) Motives for arson (fire-raising). Medicine, Science and the Law, 25, 275–278.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Soothill, K. (1990) Arson. In Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry (eds Bluglass, R. & Bowden, P.), pp. 779–786. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Stewart, L. A. (1993) Profile of female firesetters: implications for treatment. British Journal of Psychiatry, 163, 248–256.Google Scholar
Tennent, T. G., McQuaid, A., Loughnane, T., et al (1971) Female arsonists. British Journal of Psychiatry, 119, 497–502.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.