Heterogeneity of the Jealousy Phenomenon in the General Population: An Italian Study

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the general agreement that normal jealousy is heterogenous, little is known about this specific topic.Methods: In the present study, we explored the possibility of distinguishing between four subtypes of “normal” jealousy (depressive, anxious, obsessive, and paranoid) amongst a cohort of 500 healthy university students by means of a specifically designed questionnaire, “Questionario della gelosia” (QUEGE). QUEGE is a self-report instrument of 30 items which explores the presence, frequency, and duration of feelings and behaviors related to jealousy. It was devised to investigate four hypothetical psychopathological profiles: depressive, paranoid, obsessive, and anxious.Results: The factor analysis identified five rather than four clear-cut factors: self-esteem, paranoia, interpersonal sensitivity, fear of being abandoned, and obsessionality. Women showed statistically significant lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of obsessionality than men. Younger age (<25 years) was associated with lower self-esteem and higher levels of paranoia and obsessionality, while being single was associated with lower self-esteem and higher levels of obsessionality.Conclusion: The present study provides evidence of the reliability and validity of the QUEGE instrument, which seems to identify the presence of five psychopathological dimensions within the jealousy phenomenon in the general population.

An exploratory study of the heterogeneity of the jealousy phenomenon and its associations with affective temperaments and psychopathological dimensions in a large Brazilian sample

“…This instrument comprises 30 self-reported questions, answered in a 4-item Likert-dimension scale ranging from 1 (absence of feelings related to jealousy) to 4 (highest frequency or duration of those feelings). According to the original instrument jealousy is classified into 5 dimensions/subtypes: self-esteem/depressive jealousy, paranoia/paranoid jealousy, obsessionality/obsessive jealousy, fear of being abandoned/separation anxiety-related jealousy and interpersonal sensitivity (Marazziti et al, 2010b). We used the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised inventory (SCL-90R) to assess psychopathological dimensions (Carissimi, 2011;Derogatis and Melisaratos, 1983).…”

“…A Brazilian Portuguese version of the JQ was developed in three steps: (1) translation from the original Italian version (Marazziti et al, 2010b) to Brazilian…”

“…There are no precise boundaries between "normal" and "pathological" jealousy, and identifying this demarcation has been an elusive, if not an impossible task (Docherty and Ellis, 1976;Marazziti et al, 2010b;Mullen and Martin, 1994).…”

“…Therefore, a dimensional approach has been increasingly adopted and may aid in the understanding of jealousy (Elphinston et al, 2011;Marazziti et al, 2010a;Marazziti et al, 2003b;Marazziti et al, 2010b;Pfeiffer and Wong, 1989). Marazziti et al (2010b) developed the "Questionario della Gelosia" which we will refer to as the Jealousy Questionnaire (JQ).…”

“…Marazziti et al (2010b) developed the "Questionario della Gelosia" which we will refer to as the Jealousy Questionnaire (JQ). The exploratory factor analysis of the JQ in a sample 500 Italian university students revealed five subtypes/dimensions of jealousy namely self-esteem, paranoia, interpersonal sensitivity, fear of being abandoned, and obsessionality (Marazziti et al, 2010b). This underlying factor structure is yet to be confirmed in an independent sample.…”