TY - JOUR
PY - 2013//
TI - Male imprisoned firesetters have different characteristics than other imprisoned offenders and require specialist treatment
JO - Psychiatry interpersonal and biological processes
A1 - Gannon, Theresa A.
A1 - Ciardha, Caoilte Ó
A1 - Barnoux, Magali F. L.
A1 - Tyler, Nichola
A1 - Mozova, Katarina
A1 - Alleyne, Emma K. A.
SP - 349
EP - 364
VL - 76
IS - 4
N2 - OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether a group of firesetters (n = 68) could be distinguished, psychologically, from a matched group of non-firesetting offenders (n = 68). METHOD: Participants completed measures examining psychological variables relating to fire, emotional/self-regulation, social competency, self-concept, boredom proneness, and impression management. Official prison records were also examined to record offending history and other offense-related variables. A series of MANOVAs were conducted with conceptually related measures identified as the dependent variables. Follow-up discriminant function and clinical cut-off score analyses were also conducted to examine the best discriminating variables for firesetters. RESULTS: Firesetters were clearly distinguishable, statistically, from non-firesetters on three groups of conceptually related measures relating to: fire, emotional/self-regulation, and self-concept. The most successful variables for the discrimination of firesetters determined via statistical and clinical significance testing were higher levels of anger-related cognition, interest in serious fires, and identification with fire and lower levels of perceived fire safety awareness, general self-esteem, and external locus of control. CONCLUSIONS: Firesetters appear to be a specialist group of offenders who hold unique psychological characteristics. Firesetters are likely to require specialist treatment to target these psychological needs as opposed to generic offending behavior programs. Language: en
LA - en
SN - 0033-2747
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/psyc.2013.76.4.349
ID - ref1
ER -