Cinderella Complex


A term coined by C. Downing in her 1990 book of the same name for what she describes as women’s unconscious desire to be taken care of by others, based primarily on a fear of independence, often coupled with a need to be rescued by an outside force—e.g., a prince

Cinderella,

fairy-tale character oppressed by her stepfamily until she magically attends a ball and ultimately marries a prince. Cinderella complex - fear of being independent causes unconscious desire to be taken care of by others.Cinderella syndrome - false accusations made by adopted children of being mistreated or neglected by their stepmothers.Cinderella dermatosis - skin disease characterized by ash-gray macules occurring most often on palms, extremities, buttocks, and scalp.Cinderella stepmother syndrome - overcompensation by a stepmother in an effort to be accepted into new family.