Synonyms
Fire setting
Short Description or Definition
Pyromania is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) by a pattern of behavior that involves deliberate and purposeful fire setting on more than one occasion. The act of fire setting is preceded by experience of tension or affective arousal, and it is followed by pleasure, gratification, or relief when setting fires or when witnessing or participating in the effects of a fire. Pyromania involves fasciation or attraction to fire and associated materials, uses, or consequences. Pyromania is distinct from fire setting for instrumental gain, political or ideological reasons, or an expression of anger or vengeance.
Categorization
The disorder is classified with the disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders in DSM-5.
Current Knowledge
Development and Course
Prevalence rates of pyromania are not well known. Among individuals with repeated fire...
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References and Readings
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Gannon, T. A., & Pina, A. (2010). Firesetting: Psychopathology, theory and treatment. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15, 224–238.
Grant, J. E., & Kim, S. W. (2007). Clinical characteristics and psychiatric comorbidity of Pyromania. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68, 1717–1722.
Swaffer, T., Haggett, M., & Oxley, T. (2001). Mentally disordered firesetters: A structured intervention programme. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 8, 468–475.
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© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
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Klyce, D.W. (2018). Pyromania. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_9197
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_9197
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