FIREBUGS: What everyone should know about juvenile fire-play

Jiminy Cricket: I'm no fool with fire

This article reviews some of the social and psychological factors linked to juvenile fire setting. If you are a parent reading this don't panic yet. By all accounts only 1% of youth engage in anything serious beyond lighting the occasional matchstick or flicking a bic. So there is no need to be alarmed (pardon the pun) when kids try to model adult behaviour by throwing logs on the fire, or lighting your candles.

Sometimes young children, often pre teens, will start one in a field or in the woods near home or school. They go to a field so they won't be seen and caught. Most times, this is bravado and will not lead to a serious pattern of fire setting. You will probably want to stay calm and not be excessively punitive, but don't ignore the behaviour. Logically, parents will want to check out their child's peer group, whether the child has done this before, and if he or she feels embarrassed or guilty about it (that's a good sign). Naturally, as much as possible you will want to make sure they do not have easy access to matches or lighters. Most specialized programs recommend educating them about the risk of a more serious fire as a result of their fun, such as forest fire. Parents may also want to inform those who can supervise the area and the youth- parents, teachers, neighbours. Let them know what happened. Many fire departments have educational programs for kids who have randomly played with fire to instill more respect and responsibility about the dangers of fire play.

Curiosity

All children are curious and want to model adult behaviour. But they may not understand the consequences of their behaviour, either because they are too young, have had poor social learning in the home, or have cognitive delays.

Fires caused by curious fire-play are usually accidental..

Statistics suggest that children between 5 and 10 years of age are more likely than older children to light fires out of curiosity.

Recidivism (repeated fire-play) is less likely among this age group.

Peer influence

There may be peer pressure to belong or impress others

Incendiaries may be provided by peers

Limited social or cognitive skills

Juvenile fire setting is associated with difficult social interactions, where the youth has few significant friendships, is socially isolated.

Some children and youth may engage in fire setting in addition to other random, careless behaviours simply due to boredom and the need for self stimulation.

Children with serious social or cognitive difficulties such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) may lack good judgment and may be socially marginalized. They may play with fire even though having no intention or plan to cause harm.

Attention seeking

Children who experience maltreatment or physical deprivation are more likely that others to engage in fire setting as an attention seeking behaviour

They seek a reaction from parents or other care providers, authority figures, often to provide safety or structure that is missing in their lives.

Stressful events

Juvenile arson causing serious property damage is linked to youth in crises, trauma, kids under extreme stress, kids with limited social support. There are severe problems in the child's social environment, at school, home or in the community. Truly, it takes a village to raise a child, and bad things happen in communities everywhere that put our children in harm's way. Violence and deprivation are not just parenting problems.

For youth in crises, serious fire setting is a dramatic attention seeking behaviour; a 'cry for help' Why? Because some young people do not have the intellectual maturity to translate intense feelings into words, some have controlled their feelings so long they just impulsively react, and sometimes children have talked to an adult, but nothing changed.

Fire safety in the home

Accidental fires are often related to poor understanding of the dangers of fire play, a child or care-giver's poor cognitive judgement , poor supervision of a child and limited knowledge of fire safety. It is possible that fire safety education may reduce recidivism together with school based and child welfare supports, but in Canada there are very few specialized assessment and research programs in this field.

Limited supervision

Some findings suggest that limited supervision and unstructured child care are better predictors of recidivism (repeated fire setting) than individual factors, because they encourage access to incendiaries and the ability to set fires repeatedly.

Family Functioning

Research reports that fire setters experience more emotional neglect and physical abuse than do other children of similar socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.

It takes a village to raise a child. Physical deprivation due to poverty is a community and social responsibility. Parents are often absence due to long work hours or shift hours just to survive on the poverty margin. I see this routinely in my clinical practice; it's common knowledge.

The combined social factors of poverty, substance abuse, violence at home and in neighbourhoods are associated with higher rates of juvenile fire setting.

There are, however, patterns of fire-play that lead to serious self harm, property damage or harm to others, where professional referral and assessment is definitely indicated.

Conduct problems

Juvenile fire setting is often related to other behaviour problems of childhood and youth and can be an expression of anger or resentment toward parents or adult role models. These are often serious enough concerns for child welfare to become involved. A recent provincial study noted that 50% of Juveniles arrested for fire-setting were child welfare involved (Ontario Centre of Excellence in Child Welfare).

Fire setting may be one of a constellation of symptoms associated with serious behaviour problems, a recurring set of overt and covert behaviours starting with disobedience progressing to lies, stealing and vandalism.

A significant percentage of adolescent fire setting is associated with criminal offences including sexual assault (11%-18%) and vandalism (19%). In mental health terms this would be 'diagnosed' as conduct disorder.

In the United States, Juveniles account for 55% of all arson related arests ¹

Pyromania

Youth in this category are perhaps only 2% of all youth who engage in fire setting.

They are obsessed with and reinforced by the sensory experience of setting and observing fires, feelings of euphoria, elation.

Pyromania has features of emotional release and gratification leading to serious arson without regard for self or others.

Fire-setting for 'kicks' or excitement and pleasure is related to conduct disorder and addictions

Pleasure seeking through arson is linked to long standing social isolation and lack of focused, pro social activities. These youth are often disengaged from active participation in for example, school life, organized sports and clubs.

Rewarded by excitement, the fire play becomes habituated; an addiction that generates an emotional high.

Serial arson can be traced to childhood and is associated with pscyho-social adversity, social isolation, conduct disorder, feelings of euophoria and emotional release. ²

Mental Illness

It is important to know that the concept of mental illness has shifted from the belief that genetics or physiology are responsible, to an understanding that both genetic vulnerability and social experience are bound together in the making of social and psychological health.

Sources of help:

If you are seriously concerned about a child who is 'playing with fire' you may want to contact your local child welfare or child and youth mental health centre for more information, advice or treatment. Some fire departments have prevention and education programs for you and your child. Seek out the following experts.

Clinically trained registered social workers.

Clinically trained registered psychologists

Psychiatrists

Clinical nurse specialists

Counselling psychologists, professionally registered

Mental health clinics should be able to assist you with:

Specialized diagnosis, assessment and treatment for a range of mental health conditions.

Comprehensive treatment and case management for youth with serious diagnoses

Specialized support, education, assessment and treatment of conduct disorders, neurodevelopmental concerns related to social and academic issues.

Referrals for treatment must be informed and voluntary unless court ordered or certified. Usually the youth and caregiver will sign a number of consent forms.