As we begin 2023, we wanted to take a brief look back on the firesetting publications we have produced over the last 12 months. We hope these publications will continue to build the evidence base concerning adults who have deliberately set fires and will prove useful in your clinical practice.
Gannon, T. A., Olver, M. E., Alleyne, E., Butler, H., Lister, V., Ó Ciardha, C., Sambrooks, K., & Tyler, N. (2022). The Development and Validation of the Firesetting Questionnaire. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-022-10011-x
This research developed and evaluated a measure to examine fire-specific constructs relevant to fire misuse. In the first study, using UK community members asked to disclose deliberate firesetting, we tested a large pool of theoretically informed questionnaire items. 1 in 10 adults reported setting a deliberate fire that they had not been apprehended for. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested an eight-factor measure with broader coverage of theoretically informed risk factors, relative to previous measures, and acceptable test item validity and robust internal consistencies. In the second study, we tested the Firesetting Questionnaire with imprisoned men who held a record of firesetting and imprisoned and community comparisons. The findings illustrated psychometric robustness. Our results suggest that the Firesetting Questionnaire has the potential to be a useful clinical tool for highlighting fire-specific treatment needs and informing clinical formulation and associated risk management.
Sambrooks, K., Lockerbie, L., Majid, S., & Gannon, T. (2022). Clinicians’ perceptions of virtual reality for firesetting. The Journal of Forensic Practice, ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-05-2022-0027
Virtual reality (VR) is a novel technology that could be used in the assessment and/or treatment of deliberate firesetting. This study aims to develop an understanding of clinicians’ views of VR for deliberate firesetting, to identify areas where VR could potentially add value to current practice and any particular barriers to using VR in this context. Clinicians perceived the ability to safely expose clients to fire-related stimuli to be highly beneficial. However, clinicians were concerned about the possibility of re-traumatisation and logistic barriers. Previous experience of using VR with individuals who have set fires was significantly related to using it in the future. Further research establishing the feasibility and effectiveness of using VR with individuals who have set fires may help alleviate clinicians’ concerns. Increasing opportunities for clinicians to experience a firesetting VR programme may widen the implementation of firesetting VR.
Gannon, T. A., Tyler, N., Ó Ciardha, C., & Alleyne, E. (2022). Adult Deliberate Firesetting: Theory, Assessment and Treatment. Wiley-Blackwell.
This book provides a comprehensive exploration of individuals who intentionally set fires. The book covers major theories on the motivations and processes involved in firesetting, including an updated version of the Multi-Trajectory Theory of Adult Firesetting (M-TTAF). It also covers best practice for the assessment and treatment of patients and clients who demonstrate this behaviour, including common challenges faced by practitioners in recruiting and facilitating group-based treatment for people who have set fires.
Barrowcliffe, E., Tyler, N., & Gannon, T. A. (2022). Firesetting among 18-23 year old un-apprehended adults: A UK community study. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-06-2021-0026
This study aims to assess the prevalence of firesetting in a sample of young UK adults aged 18 to 23 years and to compare their characteristics with non-firesetting individuals. Two-hundred and forty male (n = 119, 49.6%) and female (n = 121, 50.4%) participants were recruited through Prolific Academic. Twenty-five percent of participants (n = 60) reported igniting a deliberate fire. Logistic regression was used to examine the ability of parental supervision and behavioural issues (e.g., witnessing domestic violence, experimenting with fire before age 10 and family history of firesetting), antisocial behaviours (e.g., having criminal friends, impulsivity, teenage access to fire paraphernalia, skipping class more than once per week, taken any illegal drugs and participation in criminal behaviour) and fire-related interests, attitudes and propensities in predicting firesetting status. Factors found to distinguish firesetting and non-firesetting participants included the following: experimented with fire before 10 years of age, family history of firesetting, impulsivity, teenage access to fire paraphernalia, participation in criminal behaviour and scores on the Fire Setting Scale. The results provide key information about potential risk factors relating to un-apprehended firesetting in the general population.
If you would like any more information about these publications, or any of our research, please feel free to get in touch via fipmoprogramme@kent.ac.uk.
As always, you can find our journal articles here: https://research.kent.ac.uk/fire-intervention-programme/publications/