Comprehensive treatment of chronic fire setting in a severely disordered boy

A comprehensive, multidimensional treatment strategy was designed for a severely behaviorally disordered 10-year-old boy with a 7-year history of setting fires. The study replicates a previous study designed to suppress fire setting, teach appropriate substitute behavior and increase awareness of the consequences of fire setting. Three additional components were added to the original treatment program: relaxation training, a response cost for fire setting, and a visit to a hospital burn unit (overt sensitization). Follow-up data 1 year later indicate that treatment was successful in extinguishing all fire-setting behaviors. The additional treatment components presented in this paper may add to the efficacy and sustained durability of treatment gains in difficult, low frequency fire setting behavior.