What is Peter Pan Syndrome? “Peter Pan Syndrome” is a popular psychology term describing young adults — particularly males — who cannot seem to “grow up.” Dr. Dan Kiley coined the term in his 1983 book, The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up.
Named after the boy who never grew up, the term "Peter Pan syndrome" was first seen in psychoanalyst Dan Kiley's 1983 book The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up. The term describes the phenomenon of adults who age physically but not emotionally.
What is Peter Pan syndrome? Peter Pan syndrome (PPS), while not a recognized diagnosis, is a popular psychology term used to describe an adult who has difficulty growing up. The term is derived from the fictional character of Peter Pan, a magical boy who never grows old, created by J.M. Barrie in 1902.
Peter Pan Syndrome is a concept used to describe men who have reached an adult age, but cannot face their adult emotions and responsibilities—“never growing.”
Therapy Can Help
Since Peter Pan Syndrome is not a clinically recognized medical diagnosis, there is no “official” treatment, but some types of therapy – including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) – have been shown to help.
No, it is not a real psychological diagnosis. But it's a helpful catch phrase to refer to other mental health issues. Peter Pan syndrome refers to a refusal to engage in the set of goals, achievements, and responsibilities that usually mark the transition from young person to adult.
Causes. There is little research on Peter Pan Syndrome, so psychologists do not exactly know what causes the syndrome's behaviors. Some experts posit that having overprotective parents can make a person more likely to develop it.
Key points. Peter Pan Syndrome is traditionally thought of as a situation in which a grown man is childish and immature, despite his age. The condition, which is not considered an official mental disorder, is also known as Little Prince (or Princess) Syndrome.
Peter is narcissistic, very concerned about his appearance, especially his body, which he keeps slim and fit. He is good looking in a boyish way and is phobic about illness, injury and old age.
In many cultures, women are defined as the person who nurtures, handles the household, and the family responsibilities, including caring for, bathing, and feeding the kids. Peter Pan Syndrome has the partner clinging to their mate as the nurturer, someone they can attach to meet their needs.
The King of Pop had a fascination with his youth — labeled as "Peter Pan Syndrome" — which he said stemmed from his unconventional upbringing.
People sometimes revert to childlike behavior to cope with trauma, stress, severe illness, or mental health disorders. Age regression can be unconscious (involuntary) or conscious (voluntary) behavior.
A new study has found that the average man doesn't become fully emotionally mature until age 43. And that's way later than women. Women are mature at age 32 . . . a full 11 years earlier.
While emotional immaturity isn't always a sign of a mental health disorder, it has been associated with narcissistic personality disorder and emotionally abusive tendencies. That being said, it is not always the case that an emotionally immature person is either a narcissist or abusive.
Defining the man-child. He's a lot what he sounds like — a grown man who has childlike (read: immature) qualities. But it goes deeper than that. A man-child typically doesn't take responsibility for his actions, looking instead for someone or something else to blame (how else will he victimize himself?).
J. M. Barrie may have based the character of Peter Pan on his older brother, David, who died in an ice-skating accident the day before his 14th birthday. His mother and brother thought of him as forever a boy.
Can Peter Pan syndrome be treated? Since Peter Pan syndrome isn't an official diagnosis, there's no typical treatment. However, counseling may help. Sometimes, anxiety problems or other mental health issues may be adding to the problem.
Immature personality disorder (IPD) was a type of personality disorder diagnosis. It is characterized by lack of emotional development, low tolerance of stress and anxiety, inability to accept personal responsibility, and reliance on age-inappropriate defense mechanisms.
Some causes of emotional immaturity may include unresolved trauma or personal issues, life experiences, a lack of understanding of healthy relationship dynamics, or difficulty with self-regulation.
Peter Pan syndrome, also referred to as “Peter Pan complex,” is a condition in which adults continue to hold onto childhood tendencies. Rather than succumb to the socialized aspects of adulthood, these individuals essentially remain in childhood—struggling to accept accountability and venture out on their own.
First and foremost, did you know that JM Barrie wrote Peter Pan as a metaphor for the “war to end all wars”?
However, some psychologists do recognize it as a pattern of behaviors that reflects someone is persistently unwilling or unable to accept adulthood responsibilities. The term was first coined in 1983 by psychologist Dan Kiley in his book, “The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up.”
According to Thomaes & Brummelman, the development of narcissism begins at around the ages of 7 or 8. This is the time when children begin to evaluate themselves according to how they perceive others.
In the original draft of the novel, Peter is a villain, kidnapping young children from their beds. The Little White Bird is a semi-autobiographical tale, considered to be a thinly veiled novel about George Llewelyn Davies, one of the boys who inspired Barrie's Lost Boys.