Wendy Syndrome as “Super Mother”: A Scale Development

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HAYEF: Journal of Education
HAYEF: Journal of Educaon, 21(2); 139-145
Corresponding Author: Meryem VURAL BATIK, E-mail: merye m.vur al@om u.edu .tr
Cite this arcle as: Demir, M., & Vural-Bak, M. (2024). Wendy syndrome as “super mother”: A scale development. HAYEF: Journal of Educaon, 21(2), 139-145.
DOI: 10.5152/hayef.2024.23048
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Wendy Syndrome as “Super Mother”: A Scale Development
Melek DEMIR , Meryem VURALBATIK
Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Educaon, Samsun, Türkiye
Abstract
Wendy syndrome is a very common situaon in the society. Wendy syndrome describes women who acted as mother to their husbands or people close to them.
In order to develop the Wendy Syndrome Scale, data were collected from 666 women older than 18 years of age (Mage = 31.67, SDage = 10.8). Three factors obtained
as a result of EFA explain 49.56% of the variance relang to Wendy syndrome. Factor load values of the items are between .40 and .82. Three factors were called
“self-sacrice, dependency, gender role.” Model t values obtained as a result of CFA were p = .00, χ2/SD = 2.2, RMSEA = .06, GFI = .92, AGFI = .90, and CFI = .91 and
the t values of the model were found to be acceptable. According to second order CFA results, it was conrmed that a total score can be calculated from the scale.
Item–total test correlaons of the items in the scale were found to be between .33 and .70. Cronbach’s alpha coecient was found as .82. It can be said that Wendy
Syndrome Scale is a measurement instrument that has valid and reliable psychometric features in determining the level of symptoms that women present within the
context of this syndrome.
Keywords: Career obstacles, fairy tales syndromes, gender role, parencaon, super mother, Wendy, marital dynamic
Introduction
Helping others, showing compassion, making sacrices, or altruism
includes acting for the good of other people. Most of the time, when
people see someone in a dicult situation, they want to help and act
in an altruistic way. The behavior of helping sometimes takes place
with material rewards and sometimes with non-material rewards such
as admiration, respect, commitment, and dependence. Acts of self-sac-
rice, help or altruism which bind individuals together, develop coop-
eration and provide social support sometimes may cause individuals to
overcompensate, to get stressed, to experience burnout, or to put them-
selves in danger.
While Whitehead (1981) stated that women were inclined to self-
sacrice due to their identities of mother and wife, Vyrastekova et al.
(2014) stated that mothers chose to be more self-sacricing than fathers.
This situation can be a result of the gender roles the society imposes
on women and men. In terms of evolutionary psychology, parental
investment theory states that women invest more in children than men
(Trivers, 1972). Therefore, making sacrices for someone else, under-
taking their responsibility and making too many compromises are more
common in women. In most societies, women are exposed to mes-
sages about making sacrices and taking responsibility from an early
age. Gender roles are transferred to new generations through fairy tales
(Akkaya, 2020). In fairy tales, one of these messages, mother image,
beautiful woman image, and passive woman image are created through
fairy tale heroes such as grandmothers, stepmothers, birth mothers,
witches, fairies, and princesses. In one of these tales, the Peter Pan tale,
the super mother image appears through the character Wendy. Under the
inuence of this fairy tale, it is evident that the area of the house where
girls play is referred to as the “Wendy House” corner (Whyte, 1983).
When psychologist Dan Kiley dened Peter Pan syndrome in 1983, he
also used the Wendy syndrome to describe women who act as mother
to their husbands or people close to them (Kiley, 1984). Wendy is por-
trayed as a woman who does things that Peter Pan does not do for him
to exist, takes on his responsibilities, and stands by him in J. M. Barrie’s
fairy tale “Peter Pan.”
In the tale, Wendy sees Peter Pan as a playmate who could be her
boyfriend; Peter Pan, on the other hand, sees Wendy as a mother gure.
Peter Pan takes Wendy and her two siblings to Dreamland with the
promise of never-ending excitement and eternal youth. Soon, Wendy
nds herself living in a tree stump, babysitting lost children, and being
forced to take on the role of mother by the man she wants to love
(Kiley, 1984). It can be said that in the tale, Wendy also becomes a par-
ent towards her siblings, other children, and her partner. Women with
Wendy syndrome, who play the role of supermothers, devote them-
selves to their partners and children and can sacrice things that are
important to them. She both tries to please her partner and needs his
approval. Out of fear of abandonment, she constantly shows interest
in her partner and takes on more of her responsibilities than neces-
sary (Quadrio, 1982). In Wendy syndrome, the woman is described
as a mother and her role in life is to feed her “children.” There is a
situation which depends on the need to satisfy someone else rooted
in the fear of being abandoned and rejected and a constant desire to
please everyone, especially the partner. Wendy, who can sacrice the
things that matter to her for the people she loves, needs the approval of
others. She puts the preferences of others ahead of her own and feels
unsuccessful when she cannot meet the needs of those close to her. She
blames herself for things that go wrong in the lives of people she loves.
According to Wendy, a woman should ignore the selshness of her
husband, she should excuse the man’s angry reactions, and she should
Wendy Syndrome Scale
Demir and Vural-Bak.
2
21
Received: April 12, 2023
Revision Requested: November 15, 2023
Last Revision Received: January 5, 2024
Accepted: January 5, 2024
Publicaon Date: May 23, 2024
This work is licensed under a Creave Commons Aribuon-NonCommercial 4.0 Internaonal License
Available online at hps://hayeournal.org

HAYEF: JOURNAL of EDUCATION
140
not do anything without getting permission from her husband. Driven
by perfectionism, Wendy feels guilty and puts up with the role of vic-
tim when something goes wrong, especially when it is about making
others happy. For her, love is synonymous with love. She is very emo-
tional and obedient. She avoids conict and tries to make others happy
by putting her happiness aside. While she has very little control over
her life, she focuses on controlling the lives of others (Kiley, 1984).
It is seen that dierent concepts similar to Wendy syndrome are
used in the literature, such as “super mother syndrome, forced mother
syndrome, and modern mother syndrome.” Super mother syndrome,
experienced by working women and especially mothers in the modern
age, is one of the syndromes that hinder women’s careers. The most dis-
tinctive features of this syndrome are the excellence in career, meticu-
lousness in carrying out household chores and order, and ambition to
be number one in children’s education (Gunduz, 2017). Characteristics
such as passivity, dependence, nurturing, and helpfulness, which are
among the characteristics that constitute the traditional gender role
of women (Bacacı Varoglu, 2007) point to the relationship of Wendy
syndrome with traditional gender roles. Women cannot achieve their
independence due to their upbringing based on gender based on the
traditional family structure and are directed to act dependent on men.
Women who have been raised in this direction since childhood do not
develop a perception of independence (Yildirim, 2018). With the role
of Super Mother, women can put obstacles in the way of their careers.
In line with society’s expectations, beautiful, t, and energetic women
are dened from a sexist perspective. Women, on the other hand,
strive to achieve superior success in terms of home and business life
(Gunduz, 2017). In addition, girls are taught traditional gender roles
in early childhood through “Wendy house” or house games (Curry &
McEwen, 1989). From an early age, parents expect their children to
contribute emotionally and nancially to the family, and these expecta-
tions lead to the emergence of parentication behavior in children at an
early age (Carkoglu, 2016). Considering the parenting and caregiving
roles that society assigns to women, it becomes more understandable
why Wendy syndrome is so common in society. There are too many
examples of women who take too much responsibility for her children
and her spouse, who do the homework of their children, who do all
the household chores without asking for help and assume the role of a
“good wife,” who forgive everyone or nd their husband right in every-
thing and gain approval and acceptance through exerting themselves.
Marriages which involve an unfaithful and narcissist husband Peter
Pan (see Kalkan et al., 2021 for more detail), and suering and depres-
sive wife Wendy are also common. Although Wendy suers from her
husband’s unfaithfulness and indierence, she prefers not to share her
feelings and thoughts with her husband because she is afraid of losing
him or driving him away. Unfortunately, women with Wendy syndrome
raise children with Peter Pan syndrome.
The origin of this syndrome lies in the childhood and family of the
individuals suering from it. Because these individuals feel excluded
and unprotected, they compensate for the lack of orientation and pro-
tection by taking on the role of parent in childhood. Unlike Peter Pan
syndrome, Wendy syndrome aects women more than men. The rea-
son for this may be cultural and educational factors. In addition to
emotional experiences and educational patterns of childhood, there
are also other factors contributing to the development of this disorder.
Personality traits, low self-esteem, fear of rejection, abandonment, and
a search for authority for social acceptance can be listed among these
factors developing in childhood (Ulloa, 2021).
When the past lives of women with Wendy syndrome are analyzed,
it can be seen that their fathers are not interested in the family (e.g.,
“always out with his male friends,” “always working,” etc.). As the
“super mother,” the mother of Wendy is overly concerned with her
family and over protective most of the time; she protects her children
from the “dangers” of the outside world or from the eects of the “bad”
father. Wendy’s mother is not only a strong mother gure, she is also
known as both hostile and critical and she represents a source of con-
ict in the ongoing life of Wendy. Wendy believes that she should stick
to her marriage no matter what and that she cannot nd another hus-
band and certainly a man as exciting as “Peter.” Wendy suers, she is
exposed to bullying at home and she maintains her safe role as “little
mom.” In fact, she is scared to leave the role of “suering little mom”
because this will expose her to the “dangers” of a real adult relationship
(Quadrio, 1982).
It is seen that Wendy, who is afraid of being abandoned in her rela-
tionship and constantly seeks approval, has an insecure attachment
style, and becomes parentied, and does not gain autonomy. So it
is possible for Wendy syndrome to result in sadness and loneliness,
depression and anxiety, relationship problems, burnout and discon-
tentment (Burks, 2020). But, most of the time, women with Wendy
syndrome do not feel like part of a problem and are not aware of this.
Intervention strategies that strengthen the individual’s self-esteem
and develop assertiveness should be determined and attempts should
be made to change the individual’s negative, unrealistic or irratio-
nal thoughts about self and especially to change the thought patterns
related to self-worth, abandonment, and guilt. On the other hand, it is
also important to present a psychological help that is centered on not
only the woman with Wendy syndrome, but also her spouse or family.
Planning the process of psychological help requires determining the
level of the women’s Wendy syndrome. Therefore, there is a need to
develop a measurement tool to determine the level of Wendy syndrome
in women, to nd out the variables that may be associated with Wendy
syndrome, and to plan psychological interventions. In this context, it is
considered important to develop Wendy Syndrome Scale (WSS), origi-
nal for both our country and for international literature. With this pur-
pose, WSS was developed and its validity and reliability studies were
conducted. In this study, the answer to the question has been sought as
“What is the factor structure of the WSS?
Methods
This study aimed to develop a scale to determine the level of Wendy
syndrome and to conduct validity and reliability analyses. In this con-
text, the research is a scale development study. Information about the
study group and the steps followed in the development process of the
scale are given below.
Participants
This study was carried out in 2022 with a total of 666 women older
than 18 years of age who were reached through convenience sampling
method. Data were collected from two groups during the scale develop-
ment process: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed on the
data collected from 340 women in the rst group, while Conrmatory
Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed on the data collected from 326
women in the second group. Table 1 shows the characteristics of all
participants. While 51.3% (n = 342) of all women who participated in
the study (n = 666) did not have a relationship, 48.7% (n = 324) had a
relationship. The ages of women were between 18 and 72 and mean age
was 31.67 (SD = 10.8).
Scale Development Process
In the rst stage of developing the WSS, the related literature about
Wendy syndrome was reviewed and an item pool including the char-
acteristics of Wendy syndrome was prepared. The construction of the
WSS took into account Kiley’s book, The Wendy Dilemma (Kiley,
1984). In line with the examinations, a pool of 33 items was created.

Demir and Vural-Bak. Wendy Syndrome Scale
141
Expert opinions on the subject and scope of the 33 expressions in the
item pool were taken from two faculty members who are experts in the
eld of Psychological Counselling and Guidance. Expert opinion relat-
ing to the meaning and grammar in items in the scale was taken from a
faculty member who is an expert in the eld of the Turkish language.
Corrections were made in line with the feedback, and a 5 Likert type
trial scale with 33 items was created.
In the second stage, a 33-item trial scale was applied to 340 women
and EFA was conducted on the data. A 16-item scale obtained as a
result of EFA was applied to 326 dierent women in the third stage,
and CFA was performed on the data obtained. Reliability of the scale
was examined with item total test correlations and Cronbach’s alpha
coecient.
Data Collection and Analysis
In the development of WSS, rst ethics committee approval was
obtained. Individuals older than 18 years of age were informed about
the research and their informed consent was obtained. Then the data
were collected online from volunteers who participated in the study
voluntarily through Google Docs between June and December in 2022.
Before testing the construct validity of WSS, multivariate normal-
ity tests were conducted. Since the data were not normally distrib-
uted, multidirectional outliers were determined with Mahalanobis
distance; the data with a value of >.001 were excluded from the anal-
ysis (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2020). Thus, 9 data points with outliers
were excluded in the data collected for Exploratory Factor Analysis
(EFA) and 17 data points with outliers were excluded in the data col-
lected for Conrmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). In addition, kurtosis
and skewness values of the data were found to be between −1.5 and
+1.5, and the data were found to show a normal distribution. The
Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) sample adequacy coecient was calcu-
lated as .84, and the Bartlett sphericity test χ2 value was calculated as
2207.66 (p < .001). Since Bartlett test was signicant and the KMO
value was higher than .60, the data were found to be suitable for fac-
tor analysis (Buyukozturk, 2020). Having at least between ve times
and ten times as many participants as the number of items in the scale
seems to be sucient for factor analysis (Bryman & Cramer, 2011;
Ho, 2006). In addition, Tabachnick and Fidell (2020) stated that it
is appropriate for the sample number to be at least 300 in order to
obtain a reliable factor structure in factor analysis. Therefore, it was
decided that the sample size was sucient, and the data were suitable
for factor analysis.
EFA was conducted to nd out the factor structure of the scale,
and CFA was conducted to test the model that was created. Finally,
the reliability of the scale was analyzed with item–total test corre-
lations and Cronbach’s alpha coecient, split-half internal consis-
tency coecient, Guttman and Spearman–Brown coecients. EFA,
item analysis, and reliability analyzes were conducted with The
Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0 software (IBM
Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA), while CFA was conducted with AMOS
20.0 program.
Research Ethics
This research was approved by Ondokuz Mayıs University Social
and Human Sciences Ethics Committee (Approval No: 2022-129,
Date: 25.02.2022). All ethical rules were followed during the research.
Written informed consent was obtained from all participants who par-
ticipated in this study.
Results
In this section, EFA and CFA results of the developed scale, followed
by reliability analyses and item statistics are presented respectively.
Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
Data were collected from 340 women to nd out the factor structure
of the trial form of Wendy syndrome which consisted of 33 items. Nine
outliers were excluded from the data obtained and EFA was conducted
on 333 data. Principal axis factor analysis was applied since it is more
reliable in determining the factors (Field, 2013) and eigenvalues were
analyzed. Scree plot was given in Figure 1.
Eigenvalues of the factors were found to be 4.87, 2.09, 1.97, and
1.07. Components which have an eigenvalue of >1 can be considered
as factors (Cattell, 1966); however, there may be too many factors in
this case. Therefore, the number of factors can be determined by ana-
lyzing the scree plot (Zwick & Velicer, 1986). When both the scree
plot (Figure 1) and the related literature were taken into account, it was
decided that the scale was more suitable for a three-structure factor.
Factor loads were given in Table 2.
In the resulting three-factor structure (Table 2), the items with a
factor load of <.40 and those with a factor load value of <.10 in the
sub-dimensions were excluded. It was found that the remaining 16 fac-
tors had high values in a single factor and the factor load values were
found to be high. Eigenvalues of the three factors in the scale were
4.40, 2.03, and 1.48, respectively. These three factors explain 49.56%
of the variance relating to Wendy syndrome. The rst factor explains
27.54% of the variance, while the second factor explains 12.71% and
the third factor explains 9.29%. Factor load values of the items are
between .40 and .82.
After the factors were determined, they were named by taking the
expressions in the related factors and also the related literature into
Table 1.
Characteristics of the Participants
Variables
First Study Group
(n = 340)
Second Study Group
(n = 326)
Age
Mean (SD); range 32.77 (11.6); 18–72 30.52 (9.73); 18–70
Relationship status
In a relationship 51.5% 45.7%
Not in a relationship 48.5% 54.3%
Parents’ relationship
Together 90.6% 91.1%
Separated 9.4% 8.9%
Figure 1.
Scree Plot.

HAYEF: JOURNAL of EDUCATION
142
account. The rst factor was called “self-sacrice” (items 1, 2, 4, 10,
11, 12), the second factor was called “dependency/approval” (items 5,
6, 8, 14, 16) and the third factor was called “gender role” (items 3, 7,
9, 13, 15). There are no reversely coded items in the scale. The highest
possible score of the scale is 80, while the lowest possible score is 16.
A high total score means a high level of Wendy syndrome.
Conrmatory Factor Analysis
The 16-item scale was applied to 326 women to test the model
obtained as a result of EFA by using CFA (Cokluk et al., 2018). The
data with eigenvalues were excluded and CFA was conducted with 309
data. χ2, RMSEA, GFI, AGFI, and CFI values, which are commonly
used in goodness of t index (Sumer, 2000) were interpreted. A χ2/
SD value of <5 (Kline, 2005); a p value of <.05 (Cokluk et al., 2018);
a RMSEA value of <.10 (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2020); a CFI value of
>.90; and GFI and AGFI values of >.90 (Hooper et al., 2008) indicate
that the model data t is acceptable. Three-factor model of the scale is
shown in Figure 2.
As a result of CFA, goodness of t indices were found as p = .00,
χ2/SD = 2.5, RMSEA = .07, GFI = .91, AGFI = .87, and CFI = .88. It was
found that AGFI and CFI values were not acceptable. When the t
values of the model are not within the range of acceptable values as
a result of CFA, modications can be made by associating the error
terms of the items of the same factor (Cokluk et al., 2018). It was found
that error terms related to items 1 and 2 were associated. Item 1 is “I
always try to make others happy” and item 2 is “I like to take a lot of
responsibility in my close relationships”. These items are included in
the “Self-sacrice” factor and the statements in these items appear to
be quite similar to each other. It can be stated that since these items
serve to measure a similar structure, the error terms are related to
each other. The modication made by associating the error terms of
items 1 and 2 appears to be compatible with the theoretical structure.
Therefore, one modication was made in the model established for
WSS. Model t values obtained as a result of these were p = .00, χ2/
SD = 2.2, RMSEA = .06, GFI = .92, AGFI = .90, and CFI = .91, and the
t values of the model were found to be acceptable. These results show
that the three-factor model of WSS is conrmed (Figure 2). Following
this, a second-order CFA was conducted, and the second-order CFA
model of the scale is shown in Figure 3.
Second-order CFA is conducted to use the total score obtained from
the overall scale. According to second-order CFA results, t values of
the model (Figure 3) were found as p = .00, χ2/SD = 2.21, RMSEA = .063,
GFI = .91, AGFI = .90, and CFI = .90. In line with these results, it was
conrmed that a total score can be calculated from the scale.
Results Regarding the Reliability of the Scale
Reliability of the scale was analyzed with item–total test correla-
tions and Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coecient. Item–total
test correlations of the items in the scale were found to be between
.33 and .70 (Table 2). It can be seen that item–total test correlations
are higher than .30 and their discrimination is sucient (Buyukozturk
et al., 2021).
Cronbach’s alpha coecients (Table 3) were found as .80 for “self-
sacrice,” as .73 for “dependency/approval,” and as .70 for “gender
role.” Cronbach’s alpha coecient of the total scale was found as .82.
After the reliability coecients of the whole scale were calculated,
the internal consistency reliability of the scale was also calculated
with the split-half method. The Cronbach’s alpha coecient of 8
items in the rst half was .70, and the Cronbach’s alpha coecient
of 8 items in the second half was .72. It can be said that the inter-
nal consistency coecient values of the two groups formed with the
split-half method are close to each other and very good. With this
Table 2.
Factor Load Values and Item–Total Test Correlations of the Items
Item Number Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3
Item Total Test
Correlation
1 .80 .60*
2 .73 .44*
4 .61 .64*
10 .65 .70*
11 .52 .47*
12 .62 .69*
5 .60 .56*
6 .40 .47*
8 .69 .46*
14 .65 .68*
16 .82 .65*
3 .60 .33*
7 .72 .37*
9 .61 .38*
13 .72 .33*
15 .68 .44*
Eigenvalue 4.40 2.03 1.48 Total variance
Variance 27.54% 12.71% 9.29% 49.56%
Note: *p < .001.
Figure 2.
Three-Factor Model of the Scale

Demir and Vural-Bak. Wendy Syndrome Scale
143
method, Guttman and Spearman–Brown coecients were found to be
.85. According to these results, it can be said that WSS has a sucient
level of reliability.
Correlations Between the Factors
Correlations between the total score from the scale and the scores
from the factors were calculated with Pearson Product-Moment cor-
relation analysis, and results were given in Table 3.
As shown in Table 3, correlation coecients between the total
score from WSS and “self-sacrice, dependency/approval, and gender
role” factors were found as .85, .81, and .52, respectively (p < .001).
Accordingly, each of the sub-dimensions has a strong association with
the total score of Wendy Scale.
Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendations
Today, when women are starting to move away from their tradi-
tional roles, most women try to do housework and motherhood in the
best way possible, even if they are working. Motherhood and parent-
ing roles continue to predominate for women who try to juggle many
roles. Women who try to balance career and family while also caring
for family members inevitably become vulnerable to super mother
syndrome. Almost all working mothers are victims of “super mother
syndrome,” a psychological condition that causes physical and emo-
tional pain (Srivastava & Singh, 2019). Most of the studies on super
mother syndrome were conducted on women who were divorced
or whose spouses died (Mabrey, 2020; Nuralita, 2021; Sukmana &
Hanami, 2023). However, today, as married women try to be super
mothers, it is observed that Wendy syndrome is quite common in
society. There are too many examples of women who take too much
responsibility for her children and her spouse and gain approval and
acceptance through exerting themselves. Most of the time, women
with Wendy syndrome do not feel like part of a problem and are
not aware of this. Intervention strategies that strengthen the wom-
en’s self-esteem should be developed to change the thought patterns
related to self-worth, abandonment, and guilt. Planning the process
of psychological help requires determining the level of the women’s
Wendy syndrome.
One signicant gap in the literature was the absence of a measure-
ment method to assess Wendy syndrome in women. A useful scale with
good validity and reliability was sought to measure Wendy syndrome
in light of this decit. The construction of the WSS took into account
Kiley’s book, The Wendy Dilemma (Kiley, 1984). In line with the
examinations, a pool of 33 items was created, and expert opinion relat-
ing to the meaning and grammar in items in the scale was taken. Data
were collected from two dierent study groups for the validity and reli-
ability analysis of the scale. As a result of the EFA conducted in the rst
study group, a three-factor structure with 16 items was obtained. The
rst factor called “self-sacrice” includes expressions such as “I priori-
tize others’ needs over mine”; the second factor called “dependency/
approval” includes expressions such as “others’ approval is important
to me”; the third factor called “gender role” includes expressions such
as, “A woman should not do anything without taking the permission
of her husband.” WSS consists of three factors explaining 49.56% of
the variance regarding Wendy syndrome. As a result of the CFA, one
modication was made in the model established for WSS, which is
compatible with the theoretical structure, and t index values of this
three-factor model were found to be within acceptable limits. A total
score can be calculated in WSS, while scores from each factor can also
be calculated separately. Item–total test correlations of the items in the
scale were found to be between .33 and .70, and the Cronbach’s alpha
coecient of the total scale was found as .82. The internal consistency
reliability of the scale was also calculated with the split-half method.
The coecient in the rst half was .70, and the coecient in the sec-
ond half was .72. Guttman and Spearman–Brown coecients were
found to be .85. As a result, it can be said that WSS is a measurement
instrument that has valid and reliable psychometric features in deter-
mining the level of symptoms that women present within the context
of this syndrome. When both national and international literature were
reviewed, no measurement instruments were found to determine the
level of Wendy syndrome. Therefore, this study will ll the gap in this
eld and contribute to literature.
Dierent concepts similar to Wendy syndrome are used in the lit-
erature, such as “super mother syndrome, forced mother syndrome,
modern mother syndrome.” In addition, concepts in the literature
such as “parentication, little parent and overburdened children” also
emphasize parenting-motherhood roles. It seems that these concepts
point to similar characteristics with Wendy syndrome. For example,
similar to Wendy syndrome, children who become parentied also
undertake domestic responsibilities and take care of family members
(Champion et al., 2009), sacricing their own needs (Castro et al.,
Figure 3.
Second-Order CFA Model of the Scale.
Table 3.
Correlation Coecients Between the Factors
1 2 3 4
Cronbach’s
Alpha
Total Wendy syndrome (1) 1 .82
Self-sacrice (2) .85* 1 .79
Dependency/approval (3) .81* .49* 1 .71
Gender role (4) .52* .23* .24* 1 .70
Note: *p < .001.

HAYEF: JOURNAL of EDUCATION
144
2004). These women cannot gain autonomy and cannot dierentiate
from their families (Hooper, 2007; Jankowski et al., 2013; Karatas,
2020; Lee & Kim, 2019; Ozbiler, 2022). The low level of dierentia-
tion of these women from their families increases the need for approval
(Degirmenci & Demirci, 2019) and the perception of perfectionism and
control (Koyden, 2015). Additionally, they may experience indecision
between their family’s wishes and their own wishes, and this may nega-
tively aect their lives (Turk, 2019). No matter how successful these
children are in adulthood, they continue to feel inadequate (Castro
et al., 2004). Parentication causes depression (Jankowski et al., 2013;
Burton et al., 2018; Karatas, 2020; Zencir, 2018), anxiety (Karatas,
2020) and somatization (Schier et al., 2015) in the individual. All these
mentioned parentication features and eects are quite consistent with
Wendy syndrome. For example, Wendy syndrome also causes depres-
sion, anxiety, and burnout in women (Burks, 2020). This syndrome,
which is generally seen in hard-working, meticulous and perfectionist
women, brings with it many psychosomatic problems (Besser et al.,
2010). However, this syndrome should not be labeled as a medically
treatable disease. It would be more accurate to consider this syndrome
as a result of unrealistic expectations and lifestyle decisions (Srivastava
& Singh, 2019).
In conclusion, the WSS, whose validity and reliability have been
established, can be used by practitioners and researchers for a vari-
ety of applications. The WSS, whose validity and reliability have been
established, can be used by practitioners and researchers for a variety
of applications. Research can be done to identify Wendy syndrome in
women and the factors associated with the syndrome. Additionally,
studies can be conducted to examine the impact of Wendy Syndrome,
which is stated to be frequently encountered in working women, on
women’s career lives. By identifying women with high Wendy syn-
drome through the scale, psycho-education programs can then be
developed to reduce Wendy syndrome, and the success of these pro-
grams can be assessed. It is thought to provide information especially
for interventions in the eld of marriage and family psychological
counseling.
This research has several limitations. Mostly women living in the
city center and having a high level of education participated in the
research. For this reason, it can be said that a sample that would better
reect the general society could not be reached. It is debatable whether
the WSS is a valid and reliable measurement tool for measuring Wendy
syndrome in women with low education levels and living in rural areas.
Validity and reliability studies can be conducted by collecting data
from a women sample that better reects the general society.
Ethics Committee Approval: Ethics committee approval was received for
this study from the ethics committee of Ondokuz Mayıs University (Approval
No: 2022-129, Date: 25.02.2022).
Informed Consent: Written informed consent was obtained from all partici-
pants who participated in this study.
Peer-review: Externally peer-reviewed.
Author Contributions: Concept – M.D.; Design – M.D., M.V.B.;
Supervision – M.D.; Resource – M.D., M.V.B.; Materials – M.D., M.V.B.; Data
Collection and/or Processing – M.V.B.; Analysis and/or Interpretation – M.D.,
M.V.B.; Literature Search – M.D., M.V.B.; Writing – M.D., M.V.B.; Critical
Review – M.D., M.V.B.
Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conict of interest to declare.
Funding: The authors declared that this study has received no nancial
support.
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