Relationships Among Women's Adverse Childhood Experiences, Attachment Styles, and Psychological Well-Being and Cinderella Syndrome

Purpose: To examine relationships among women's adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), attachment styles, psychological well-being, and Cinderella Syndrome (CS). Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 334 women. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Early Life Experiences Scale, Three Dimensional Attachment Style Scale, Psychological Well-Being Scale, and Cinderella Syndrome Scale (CSS). Results: Correlation analyses showed positive associations between CSS scores and threatening childhood memories, submissive and threatening experiences, avoidant and anxious-ambivalent attachment styles, age, and number of children, and negative associations with secure attachment and psychological well-being (all p < .001). Multiple regression analyses revealed that threatening childhood memories (B = 0.70 to 1.52, p < .001) and anxious-ambivalent attachment (B = 0.29 to 0.52, p < .001) were consistent positive predictors across CSS subdimensions and total scores. Conclusion: ACEs and insecure attachment patterns significantly contribute to CS tendencies, whereas higher educational level and psychological well-being act as protective factors. Findings emphasize the importance of incorporating psychosocial assessments, trauma-informed care, and attachment-focused interventions in nursing practice to support women's mental health and promote autonomy and resilience.