The Link between Maltreatment and Juvenile Firesetting: Correlates and Underlying Mechanisms

Autor/inn/en	Root, C.; MacKay, S.; Henderson, J.; Del Bove, G.; Warling, D.
Titel	The Link between Maltreatment and Juvenile Firesetting: Correlates and Underlying Mechanisms
Quelle	In: Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal, 32 (2008) 2, S.161-176 (16 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0145-2134
DOI	10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.07.004
Schlagwörter	Substance Abuse; Caregivers; Risk; Child Abuse; Delinquency; Children; Adolescents; Referral; Intervention; Juvenile Justice; Comparative Analysis; Antisocial Behavior; Recidivism; Screening Tests + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Drug use; Drug consomption; Drogenkonsum; Caregiver; Carer; Betreuungsperson; Pfleger; Risiko; Abuse of children; Abuse; Child; Children; Kindesmissbrauch; Missbrauch; Kind; Kinder; Kriminalität; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Jugendgerichtshilfe; Rückfall; Screening-Verfahren
Abstract	Objective: Despite the widely held belief that abuse is a risk factor for childhood firesetting, the role of maltreatment in firesetting is largely unexplored. This study reports on a sample of children and adolescents referred to a brief assessment and intervention program for juvenile firesetters. Firesetting histories of maltreated youth were compared to a group of firesetting youth with no maltreatment history. Methods: Participants included 205 children and youth aged 4-17 years and their caregivers. Assessments were completed with a standardized protocol. Forty-eight percent of the sample had a history of maltreatment as reported by caregivers; 26% of the sample had experienced more than one type of maltreatment. Results: When compared to the non-maltreated group, children with histories of maltreatment demonstrated more frequent fire involvement, more versatility regarding ignition sources and targets, and a greater likelihood of an immediate family stressor as a motive for firesetting (all p less than 0.05). Maltreated children were more likely to become involved with fire out of anger (p = 0.001), and there was also a trend towards higher rates of recidivism (p = 0.07). Children's externalizing behavior partially mediated the influence of maltreatment on specific fire-related outcomes of children (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.04-1.17; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Within a juvenile firesetting population, the presence of maltreatment is a risk factor for a more severe course of firesetting. The findings also suggest that the link between maltreatment and firesetting is operating partially through heightened emotional and behavioral difficulties. Practice implications: This study demonstrates that maltreatment is a risk factor that contributes to a more severe course of juvenile fire involvement, and that the link between maltreatment and firesetting operates largely through heightened behavioral and emotional difficulties. These findings highlight the need for mental health clinicians to (a) be aware that these two serious clinical issues frequently co-occur, (b) screen for fire-related behaviors and maltreatment during general assessments, and (c) consider maltreatment status when thinking about the risk of firesetting. (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10