ABSTRACT

This chapter reviews the potential relevance of various mental disorders to deliberate firesetting and identifies the implications for practicing clinicians. The psychological impacts of mental disorders reviews research on the cognitive and affective deficits associated with the specific mental disorders most commonly identified in firesetters. Although much clinical and research attention has focused on the impact of core positive symptoms, schizophrenia is also associated with cognitive impairments that are present from the prodromal period and possibly before. Intellectual disability (ID) is an umbrella term describing a range of clinical syndromes and disorders with genetic, infectious, metabolic, neurotoxic or unknown origins. Regardless of aetiology, intellectual disability is marked by impairment across a range of neurocognitive domains. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders that result in impairments in social communication and interaction. The Multi-Trajectory Theory of Firesetting Behaviour (M-TTAF) suggests that psychopathology moderates the strength of the expression and functioning of the four key psychological vulnerabilities related to firesetting.