From the 19th century and early writings on the subject, psychosexual factors have been reported to play a role in pyromania. After a brief review of the literature on firesetting and pyromania, two cases of arsonists are presented in which fire appears to be part of a fetish. Full sexual behaviours assessments were completed, therefore providing objective findings. Both subjects were treated for the sexual deviation associated with the acts of arson and showed significant changes in their sexual functioning. This paper deals with the issues of identification and management of such conditions.
AxbergerG.Arson and fiction: a cross-disciplinary study.Psychiatry1973; 36: 244–265.
3.
LewisN.D.C.L., YarnellH.Pathological firesetting (pyromania).Nerv Ment Dis Monographs1951; 82.
4.
ToppD.O.Fire as a symbol and as a weapon of death.Med Sci Law1973; 13 (2): 79–86.
5.
BradfordJ.M.W.Arson: a review. In: Ben-AronM.H., HuckerS.J., WebsterC.D., eds. Clinical criminology: the assessment and treatment of criminal behaviour.Toronto: M. and M. Graphics Ltd., 1985: 97–106.
6.
KammererT.H., SingerL., MichelD.Les incendiaires: étude criminologique, clinique et psychologique de 72 cas.Annales médico-psychologiques1967; 5: 687–716.
7.
RobbinsE.S., HermanM., RobbinsL.Sex and arson: is there a relationship?Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality1969; 3 (10): 57–65.
8.
ScottD.Fire and fire-raisers.London: Gerald Duckworth, 1974.
9.
HellmanD.S., BlackmanN.Enuresis, firesetting and cruelty to animals: a trial perspective of adult crime.Am J Psychiatry1966; 122: 1431–1435.
10.
LesterD.Firesetting.Correct Soc Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy1975; 21 (2): 22–26.
11.
HillR.W., LangevinR., PaitichD., HandyI., RussonA., WilkinsonL.Is arson an aggressive act or a property offence? a controlled study of psychiatric referrals.Can J Psychistry1982; 27 (8): 648–654.
12.
McKerracherB., DacreA.A study of arsonists in a special security hospital.Br J Psychiatry1966; 112: 1151–1154.
13.
RobbinsE., RobbinsL.Arson: with special reference to pyromania.NY State J Med1967; 795–798.
14.
BradfordJ.M.W., DimockJ.A comparative study of adolescents and adults who willfully set fires.In press with the Psychiatric Journal of the Univeristy of Ottawa, 1986.
15.
HurleyW., MonahanT.M.Arson: the criminal and the crime.Br J Criminology1969; 9 (1): 4–21.
SapsfordR.J., BanksC., SmithD.D.Arsonists in prison.Med Sci Law1978; 18 (4): 247–254.
18.
MavromatisM., LionJ.R.A primer on pyromania.Dis Nerv Syst1977; 38: 954–955.
19.
BradfordJ.M.W.Arson: a clinical study.Can J Psychiatry1982; 27 (3): 188–193.
20.
Fleszar-SzumigajuwaJ.The perpetrators of arson. In: Forensic psychiatric material.Polish Med J1967; 8: 212–219.
21.
YesavageJ.A., BenezechM., CeccaldiP., BourgeoisM., AddadM.Arson in mentally ill and criminal populations.J Clin Psychiatry1983; 44 (4): 128–130.
22.
The Pocket Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 7th Edition.AllenR.E., ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984: p. 271.
23.
Von Krafft-EbingR.Psychopathia Sexualis (Translation from the Latin by H.E. Wedeck). New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons,1965.
24.
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (third edition), Washington, D.C.: The American Psychiatric Association,1980: 294–297.
25.
LandeS.D.A combination of orgasmic reconditioning and covert sensitization in the treatment of a fire fetish.Behav Ther and Exp Psychiatry1980; 11: 291–296.