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.

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Psychology

The Peter-Pan psychological type is one characterized by immaturity or certain sorts of psychological, social, and sexual problems. The type of personality in question, usually male, is immature and narcissistic. More completely, according to Kiley, the characteristics of a "Peter-Pan" include such attributes as irresponsibility, rebelliousness, pottering about, anger, narcissism, dependency, manipulativeness, and the belief that he is beyond society's laws and norms. According to Kiley, "Peter Pan" is the adult little boy who, when in a relationship or in seeking a relationship, acts out a need for mothering. It is useful to compare the Jungian archetype of Puer Aeternus, the eternal boy.

In his book Kiley likened the characters of J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan to a dysfunctional co-dependent family.

On the sitcom Seinfeld, Kramer refers to the main character (Jerry) as having Peter Pan Syndrome on account of his persistence on wearing sneakers as casual footwear.

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".

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

Treatments

References

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