Alternative Therapy with a Recalcitrant Fire-Setter

Abstract

This case report describes treatment of a 10-year-old white boy who had set a major fire in a group home. Various episodes of serious fire-setting continued to occur until one of the authors joined with the boy in constructing a controlled fire. The exercise was repeated three times, with positive results. A three-step intervention approach is described for working with latency-age boys who set fires.