Peter Pan syndrome

Peter Pan syndrome is a pop-psychology term used to describe an adult who is socially immature. The term has been used informally by both laypeople and some psychology professionals in popular psychology since the 1983 publication of The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up, by Dr. Dan Kiley. Kiley also wrote a companion book, The Wendy Dilemma, published in 1984. "Peter Pan syndrome" is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental disorder.

Wendy

"Wendy" is the adult little-girl role who likes dolls — a woman who acts in a mother role. Contributing the other half of a co-dependent couple, her responses to the Peter-Pan man, according to Dr. Kiley, are such conducts as overprotection, possessiveness, complaining, and "martyrdom". Usually, the person suffering from this syndrome is in denial.

See also

• Kidult
• Infantilism
• Michael Jackson - musician who often referred to himself as a "Peter Pan" figure.
• Catcher in the Rye
• "What's My Age Again?" - song by pop-punk trio blink-182, that was originally titled "Peter Pan Complex".
• Wicked queen syndrome, a term describing a socially competitive woman who derives satisfaction from the misfortunes of her rivals

References

• Kiley, Dan, Dr. (1983) The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up. ISBN 0-396-08218-1

External links

• What Is Peter Pan Syndrome by Evan Bailyn
• Peter Pan Syndrome in reverse by Chris Wayan