Advancing Assessment and Developing Treatment for Obsessional Jealousy: A Preparatory Study

Research idea and purposeThis application pertains to a preparatory study within a larger project on jealousy.

The goal of this study is to generate knowledge for advancing assessment and developing treatment for obsessional jealousy.

Despite jealousy leading to significant suffering for individuals and their partners, and in its most severe form being the second most common cause of men’s lethal violence against women in intimate relationships, research on how to treat jealousy is almost nonexistent.The study consists of three parts.

Part 1 investigates whether obsessional jealousy meets the criteria for being considered a psychiatric condition.

Part 2 explores how we can understand obsessional jealousy from a learning-theoretical perspective and how it can be treated within the framework of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

Part 3 involves workshops with psychologists and representatives from organizations and agencies working on this issue, aiming to develop a CBT-program for obsessional jealousy.Work plan, methods and project realizationTo explore the boundary between obsessional and "normal" jealousy, 60 participants with varying levels of jealousy will be recruited.

Participants will undergo a telephone screening and complete an online survey.

All participants will be interviewed by a psychiatrist, and those with significant suffering or impairment will also be interviewed by a psychologist.

Finally, three workshops aimed at developing a treatment program will be conducted.The study is approved by the Swedish ethical review authority. The research team has extensive expertise in anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders and anger. The study will commence in January 2025, with recruitment and interviews until June 2025.

Workshops to develop the treatment program will be held in the fall of 2025.Societal relevance and utilizationThe study is highly relevant because it (1) addresses a significant research gap, (2) has the potential to lead to the development of an effective treatment for individuals with obsessional jealousy, and (3) could, in the long term, reduce negative consequences for partners and family members and ultimately help prevent serious events such as violence.The research team’s close connection with clinical practice provides a solid foundation for developing a treatment for jealousy within this study’s framework and for implementing it in the future, which could benefit many individuals.