title: Heterogeneity of the jealousy phenomenon in the general population: an Italian study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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, "Ouestionario 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. dmarazzi@psico.med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marazziti
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sbrana
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rucci
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cherici
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mungai
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonnelli
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Massimetti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spagnolli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ravani
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Consoli
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catena Dell Osso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007578:Jealousy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009770:Obsessive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D044382:Population Groups; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult