MMPI-A profiles of adolescent boys with a history of firesetting

Firesetting in childhood and adolescence is associated with the more severe end of the conduct-disorder continuum and is considered to be prognostic of later pathology. The literature provides limited understanding of the pathology underlying firesetting in juveniles. This study compared the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Assessment-Adolescent profiles of 28 psychiatric inpatient adolescent boys with a history of firesetting with the profiles of 96 psychiatric inpatient adolescent boys who do not have a history of firesetting. Using multivariate analyses, the firesetting group appeared more pathological than did the nonfiresetting group as reflected by significantly higher scores on three clinical scales: Psychasthenia (Pt), Schizophrenia (Sc), and Mania (Ma). The firesetting group also scored significantly higher than did the nonfiresetting group on eight of the content scales: Adolescent-Depression, Adolescent-Alienation, Adolescent-Bizarre Mentation, Adolescent-Anger, Adolescent-Conduct Problems, Ad...