A preliminary firesetting offence chain for adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities

Background The theoretical understanding of firesetting behaviour has predominantly been developed with men in prisons or psychiatric hospitals without neurodevelopmental disabilities. Consequently, there is a lack of evidence regarding the validity of current theory when applied to adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. Method Thirteen adults in England with intellectual and other developmental disabilities were interviewed about the affective, cognitive, behavioural, and contextual factors leading up to and surrounding a recorded firesetting incident. Offence account interviews were analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. Results The resulting model consists of four main phases: (1) background, (2) early adulthood, (3) pre-offence period, and (4) offence, and post offence period. Conclusion The model accounts for unique precursors to firesetting within this population including mental health deterioration, poor problem solving, and new motivations for firesetting. Unlike other offence chain theories, the Firesetting Offence Chain for Adults with Intellectual and other Developmental disabilities highlights the significance of post offence behaviour and cognitions (e.g., an attempt to extinguish the fire)