Attachment, Entitlement, and the Impostor Phenomenon in Female Graduate Students

Abstract

This study examined the utility of attachment and entitlement as predictors of the impostor phenomenon in female graduate students. Findings suggested that individuals with high levels of self-reliance/self-assurance entitlement are able to associate positive feedback with stable internal attributes. Those with anxious attachment and narcissistic expectations/self-promotion entitlement, however, were unable to openly accept positive feedback because of perceived deficits in self-worth. Implications are discussed for addressing these issues with female college counseling clients.

Mentoring Matters: An Exploratory Survey of Educational Leadership Doctoral Students’ Perspectives

“…Gibson-Beverly & Schwartz, 2008). Thus, further study is needed to examine what departmental culture and climate factors, such as gender stereotypes, may precipitate the imposter phenomenon among female doctoral students (Gibson-Beverly & Schwartz, 2008). Finally, counter to the women in our study, men did not express deficiencies in mentorship, but instead reported issues with research opportunities and concerns about funding.…”

“…However, there is limited research on the imposter phenomenon as it pertains specifically to graduate students (e.g. Gibson-Beverly & Schwartz, 2008). Thus, further study is needed to examine what departmental culture and climate factors, such as gender stereotypes, may precipitate the imposter phenomenon among female doctoral students (Gibson-Beverly & Schwartz, 2008).…”

Do student nurses experience Imposter Phenomenon? An international comparison of Final Year Undergraduate Nursing Students readiness for registration

“…In some instances, this can extend to schizotypal and passive‐aggressive type behaviours. Likewise, Gibson‐Beverly and Schwartz () also found that attachment and entitlement figure highly in female graduate students. Therefore, one of the limitations of this study was to ascertain any previous or existing mental health issues and perhaps in future work using scales such as the State Trait Anxiety Scale for example may put the findings of this study into more perspective.…”

The Imposter Phenomenon Among Emerging Adults Transitioning Into Professional Life: Developing a Grounded Theory

“…These feelings bring to mind the imposter phenomenon (IP; Clance & Imes, ), a construct that has received considerable attention in higher education and psychological research (e.g., Bernard, Dollinger, & Ramaniah, ; Cowman & Ferrari, ; Gibson‐Beverly & Schwartz, ; Royse‐Roskowski, ; Sonnak & Towell, ). Given that emerging adults often enter career life—a historically “adult” role—despite subjectively identifying as somewhere between adolescence and adulthood (Arnett, ), it seems possible that IP represents a salient construct for this transition.…”