Firesetting in the adult psychiatric population

Firesetting by adult psychiatric patients is a symptom found in many primary disorders; it is rarely a reflection of the classic disorder, pyromania, as historically defined. The author emphasizes the importance of clinically addressing firesetting behavior and presents six case examples that illustrate the association of firesetting behavior with schizophrenic, affective, and personality disorders as well as with alcohol abuse and mental retardation. Current understanding of the phenomenon indicates that firesetters have significant social deficits, and successful therapeutic interventions based on a social learning model are beginning to be documented.