This study intends to investigate the Cinderella Complex, a psychological dependency syndrome, in female students of Taiwan. Cinderella complex is a state in which females willingly give over their own growth, preferring dependence to independence. The Cinderella Complex: Women's Hidden Fear of Independence by Collette Dowling (1981) was reviewed and critiqued to see how the "Cinderella Complex" is internalized so deeply in some females of Taiwan who hold onto the hope that there might be a "prince" appearing someday to rescue them. In this study, both the Cinderella complex questionnaire and in-depth interview were conducted to further reflect the Cinderella complex in females of Taiwan. Based on the interpersonal and social contexts, the results of questionnaire survey and interviews were compared and checked to analyze how the Cinderella complex was internalized in these women. The finding of this study shows that some females in Taiwan are influenced by Cinderella fairy tales and still wait for someone or something external to rescue or transform their lives. With the Cinderella complex internalized so deeply in their minds, these females believe that their submissiveness and obedience to the wills of others will help them win a "prince" with whom they would live happily ever after. Therefore, instead of acting out their own potential, they look for a man to lean on and something external to give their lives meaning.
