For the author on architecture, see Dan Urban Kiley, 1912-2004.

Psychologist Dan Kiley popularized the Peter Pan syndrome in his 1983 book, The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up. His next book, The Wendy Dilemma (1984), advised women romantically involved with "Peter Pans" how to improve their relationships.

After receiving a doctorate at the University of Illinois, Kiley began treating juvenile delinquents, an experience that led to a series of early books, including "Keeping Kids Out of Trouble."

Dr. Kiley got the idea for "The Peter Pan Syndrome" after noticing that, like the famous character in the James M. Barrie play, many of the troubled teen-age boys he treated had problems growing up and accepting adult responsibilities.

After he began work on the book, it dawned on him that the teen-age boys who refused to accept responsibility grew up to become men who refused to accept responsibility.