A teenager who firebombed his parents while in a dissociated state.

The paper describes a fifteen-year-old boy who firebombed his adoptive parents in their bed. The boy claimed to have no memory of the incident which occurred during the latter part of the night's sleep. Evidence is given for the diagnosis of Dissociative Disorder, and there is discussion of Sleep Walking Disorder and REM Behaviour Disorder in the differential diagnosis. The contributions made by intrapsychic and family processes are explored and the course of treatment described.