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Table 2 A comparison of exclusive firesetters (n = 50) to those with criminal versatility (n = 79)

From: Psychopathic traits among a consecutive sample of Finnish pretrial fire-setting offenders

 

Exclusive firesetters

Firesetters with criminal versatility

Statistics 1

p

Effect size

Age mean (SD)

31.9 (9.26)

32.9 (12.33)

t = 0.493

NS

d = −0.092

Number of fire-settings mean (SD)

2.2 (2.88)

1.5 (1.26)

t = −1.671

NS

d = 0.315

Principal clinical diagnoses

     

Personality disorders

23/50

53/79

χ2 = 5.626

0.03

φ = 0.209 (max = 1.050)

Psychoses

14/50

16/79

χ2 = 1.030

NS

φ = 0.089 max = 0.692)

Other

13/50

10/79

χ2 = 3.720

NS

φ = 0.170 (max = 0.586)

PCL-R total score mean (SD)

12.4 (5.83)

18.4 (6.52)

Z = −4.752

<0.001

ϴ = 0.252

PCL-R total score ≥ 25

1/50

18/79

#

<0.001

NA

PCL-R factor 1 mean (SD)

3.7 (2.99)

5.8 (3.44)

Z = −3.435

<0.001

ϴ = 0.321

PCL-R factor 2 mean (SD)

8.3 (3.36)

10.8 (3.86)

Z = −3.378

<0.001

ϴ = 0.324

Item mean (SD)

     

1. Glibness/superficial charm

0.1 (0.44)

0.3 (0.52)

Z = −2.847

0.004

ϴ = 0.393

2. Grandiose sense of self worth

0.4 (0.64)

0.4 (0.57)

Z = −0.694

NS

ϴ = 0.470

3. Need for stimulation

1.0 (0.79)

1.3 (0.75)

Z = −2.330

0.02

ϴ = 0.385

4. Pathological lying

0.1 (0.42)

0.1 (0.38)

Z = −0.312

NS

ϴ = 0.493

5. Conning/manipulative

0.4 (0.72)

0.5 (0.82)

Z = −0.928

NS

ϴ = 0.463

6. Lack of remorse or guilt

0.6 (0.72)

1.2 (0.74)

Z = −3.908

<0.001

ϴ = 0.299

7. Shallow affect

0.7 (0.80)

0.8 (0.74)

Z = −0.642

NS

ϴ = 0.469

8. Callous/ lack of empathy

0.6 (0.65)

1.0 (0.77)

Z = −2.717

0.007

ϴ = 0.364

9. Parasitic lifestyle

0.9 (1.37)

0.8 (0.78)

Z = −0.248

NS

ϴ = 0.488

10. Poor behavioral controls

1.5 (0.68)

1.7 (0.58)

Z = −2.436

0.02

ϴ = 0.396

11. Promiscuous sexual behavior

0.2 (0.47)

0.4 (0.69)

Z = 2.024

0.04

ϴ = 0.423

12. Early behavior problems

0.8 (0.85)

0.9 (0.92)

Z = −0.313

NS

ϴ = 0.485

13. Lack of realistic goals

1.1 (0.81)

1.4 (0.72)

Z = −1.664

NS

ϴ = 0.420

14. Impulsivity

1.4 (0.64)

1.9 (0.36)

Z = −4.366

<0.001

ϴ = 0.320

15. Irresponsibility

1.5 (0.68)

1.9 (0.35)

Z = −3.953

<0.001

ϴ = 0.343

16. Failure to accept responsibility

1.0 (0.71)

1.4 (0.63)

Z = −3.345

0.001

ϴ = 0.338

17. Many short-term marital relationships

0.1 (0.31)

0.1 (0.33)

Z = −0.798

NS

ϴ = 0.483

18. Juvenile delinquency

0.3 (0.71)

0.6 (0.93)

Z = −2.181

0.03

ϴ = 0.412

19. Revocation of conditional release

0.1 (0.50)

0.4 (0.81)

Z = −1.926

NS

ϴ = 0.437

20. Criminal versatility

0.3 (0.71)

1.5 (0.80)

Z = −6.781

<0.001

ϴ = 0.180

  1. 1The independent samples t-test (t), Mann–Whitney U-test (Z), Fisher’s exact test (#) and chi square-test (χ2) are used for comparing the groups. NS = not statistically significant. NA = not applicable. Effect sizes are reported, d = Cohen’s d, φ = phi and its maximum value, ϴ = theta.
  2. Age, number of fire-settings, principal diagnostic groups, and PCL-R total, factor, and item-by-item scores among exclusive and versatile firesetters are presented.