Parentifiation and attitudes toward gender roles as predictors of the imposter phenomenon

This study examines the predictive roles of parentification and gender roles on the impostor phenomenon. The relational survey model was employed in the research. The sample of the study consists of 521 participants, with 345 being female and 176 being male. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, Clance's Impostor Phenomenon Scale, Parentification Inventory, and Gender Roles Attitude Scale. Initially, the findings were analyzed to determine whether dependent and independent variables differed according to demographic variables using paired samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Post-Hoc tests were applied to identify the sources of differences where significant variances were found. In the subsequent phase, simple and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the impostor phenomenon and attitudes towards parentification and gender roles. The results indicated that the impostor phenomenon and the sub-dimensions of parentification, namely sibling-focused parentification, parent-focused parentification, and perceived benefit/adaptation, did not vary according to gender, age, and education level, whereas attitudes towards gender roles did differ. Additionally, it was found that the impostor phenomenon and attitudes towards gender roles and perceived benefit/adaptation varied according to parental attitudes, whereas sibling-focused and parent-focused parentification did not vary according to parental attitudes. Regression analysis revealed that the variables of parentification and attitudes towards gender roles predicted the impostor phenomenon, with the highest effect observed in the perceived benefit/adaptation variable. The results of the study are discussed in relation to findings in the literature. The study is limited to students attending Pamukkale University. Therefore, conducting the study with different samples could provide insights into its effects on a broader population. The scarcity of Turkish studies on the impostor phenomenon and parentification is noted. It is recommended to conduct new research to enrich the literature on these concepts. Keywords: Impostor phenomenon, parentification, attitudes towards gender roles