This study explores the personality patterns, coping responses, behaviour problems and family environments of adolescent males involved in firesetting. Fifty adolescent firesetters were compared with 33 adolescents with behaviour problems and 34 adolescents without behaviour problems.

The current study found firesetting to more commonly occur in younger adolescents, while in the company of others and to be motivated by boredom or excitement. Solitary firesetters reported greater social difficulties, more thought problems and firesetting of greater concern.

Firesetting appeared to be linked to diagnoses of ADHD and Conduct Disorder. The firesetting group was similar to the behavioural group, with both having more pathological personality patterns, more behaviour problems and more dysfunctional family environments, compared to the control group. The repetitive firesetting group had more pathological personality patterns compared to the single incident group, but did not differ on other measures.

The findings in this research suggest a need to consider the following variables in assessing adolescent firesetting. The influence of the peer group, differentiation of the solitary firesetting, diagnoses of ADHD and Conduct Disorder, motivations, historical fire-related behaviours and their emotional response to their firesetting. Recommendations related to these areas of assessment are discussed.