Severe vs. nonsevere firesetters revisited

The study reported here compares a group of 75 severe firesetters with a gr oup of 105 nonfiresetters and minor firesetters along 32 variables that hav e been positively correlated with juvenile firesetting behavior. A chi-squa re analysis of the data revealed that the frequencies observed in the 75 "s evere" cases differ significantly from those in the "nonsevere" group. A pr ediction equation was derived from the 14 most salient variables. This equa tion can be used to differentiate severe/high-risk from minor/low-risk fire setters 95% of the time.