Pathological jealousy and mental handicap.

Doctors wrote up one man. He was 39 years old and had mild intellectual disability.

They described how he showed extreme jealousy toward his wife. The jealousy was so strong it hurt daily life.

This was a single case report. No treatment was tested. The goal was to show the problem exists.

Pathological jealousy can happen in adults with intellectual disability.

The man accused his wife without proof. He checked her phone and followed her.

These behaviors looked like OCD mixed with delusional jealousy.

Oliveira et al. (2003) also used a single case. They found a new chromosome change in a boy with autism and ID. Both papers show rare problems can hide in ID.

Tassé et al. (2013) talked to many adults with mild ID about sex and love. They found high rates of abuse and little support. The 1993 case adds one clear example of how love problems can turn into mental health crises.

Chicoine et al. (2015) reviewed 57 male Rett cases. Like our jealousy case, they remind us that unusual behaviors in ID may point to deeper issues worth checking.

When an adult with ID shows sudden anger about a partner, think beyond behavior plans. Ask about jealousy, delusions, or abuse. A quick screen for pathological jealousy could save the relationship and keep everyone safe.