Fire-Setting Impulse (Pyromania) Test: What It Measures and How to Read It

This test is a SCREENING self-assessment inspired by the DSM-5 criteria (pyromania): fascination with or attraction to fire, rising tension before the act, relief or gratification, ABSENCE of a utilitarian motive (insurance, revenge, ideology). A note on honesty: unlike kleptomania, there is no validated public self-report scale for pyromania; general impulsivity draws on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (Patton, 1995). Pyromania is very rare and most deliberate fires do not stem from any disorder. This test provides NO diagnosis. Any acting out involving fire is an emergency: contact a professional and, if there is danger, the emergency services.

In the article that follows, I explore obsessions and compulsions. If you recognise yourself in this theme, I designed an OCD test that helps you take stock of the presence of intrusive thoughts and rituals. It comes with a guide to extend your reflection beyond the results. I also wrote a book on this subject, Your Thoughts Don’t Have to Run Your Life, if you would like to go further.

What the test measures

• Marked interest in, attraction to or curiosity about fire and its contexts.
• Rising tension or excitement preceding the lighting of a fire.
• Pleasure, relief or soothing linked to fire or to setting it.
• Fire-setting without a utilitarian motive, inability to resist, and its impact.

How to read your score

The result reads as an intensity, not as a diagnosis:

• Weakly marked traits: The traits measured are low or balanced; they do not strongly shape the way you function.
• Moderate traits: Moderate traits emerge across the dimensions.
• Marked traits: Clear traits stand out and colour the way you function.
• Very marked traits (screening, not diagnostic): Dominant traits emerge. This test provides no diagnosis: only a professional can do so, after a full clinical assessment.

What your full report contains

The detailed PDF report includes:

• Introduction: This test is a SCREENING self-assessment inspired by the DSM-5 criteria (pyromania): fascination with or attraction to fire, rising tension before the act, relief or gratification, ABSENCE of a utilitarian motive (insurance, revenge, ideology). A note on honesty: unlike kleptomania, there is no validated public self-report scale for pyromania; general impulsivity draws on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (Patton, 1995).
• Dimension-by-Dimension Analysis: Each dimension is analysed individually to situate your traits.
• Global Score: Your global score reflects the overall intensity of these traits; it does not constitute a diagnosis.
• Recommendations: Avenues adapted to your profile for better understanding your traits.

The full personalised report (your precise score, your dimension-by-dimension profile, your recommendations) is paid.

When to take this test

• You recognise yourself in pyromania, impulse control and fire fascination, and you want clarity.
• You want a structured reading rather than a vague impression.
• You are looking for an objective starting point before talking to a professional if needed.

Take the test: Depression Test (Self-Assessment) → — 60 questions, anonymous, PDF report.

FAQ

How long does the test take? 60 questions, around 8 minutes. Does the test provide a diagnosis? No. It measures an intensity and provides reference points; only a professional can make a diagnosis. Are my answers confidential? Yes: the test is 100% anonymous and the report is delivered directly to you.

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👉 Start the Fire-Setting Impulse (Pyromania) test → — 60 questions, immediate result, PDF report, 100% anonymous.