PARENTIFICATION, IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON AND METACOGNITIVE BELIEFS IN YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the meditational role of metacognitive beliefs between experience of parentification and impostor phenomenon in young adults. Sample of 199 young adults with age range of 18 to 25 years and a mean age of 20.52 years (SD ± 1.52) was taken. The Parentification Inventory (Hooper, 2009), Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (Clance, 1985) and Metacognitive Questionnaire (Wells & Cartwright-Hatton, 2004) were used to assess the study variables. Results show parentification (parent-focused parentification and sibling-focused parentification), metacognitive beliefs and impostor phenomenon to be correlated with each other. Moreover, metacognitive beliefs partially mediated the association between parentification and impostor phenomenon. These results signify that experience of parentification can influence on metacognitive beliefs which can lead impostor and related fear among individuals. Considering findings future implications have been discussed.