Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Child and Adult Trauma’s Influence on Imposter Syndrome and Just World Belief

Previous research has not directly linked trauma with imposter syndrome and belief in a just world. However, a disruptive home life, which can be increase the likelihood of trauma, predicts imposter syndrome, while an experience of victimization predicts lower belief in a just world. Our goal was to examine whether trauma specifically, experienced as either a child or adult, predicted these adult perceptions. We hypothesized that increased trauma would relate to increased imposter syndrome, decreased belief in a just world, and decreased trust in authority. Participants were young adults with a mean age of 24.98 (SD = 9.90). They were primarily White (64%), cisgender women (63%), and heterosexual (66%). Participants responded to scales that assessedand#58; belief in a just world, imposter syndrome, trust in authority, traumatic life events, and adverse childhood events. Results revealed that women, non-heterosexuals, and African-American adults experienced more adverse childhood events than their comparison groups. Women and non-heterosexuals reported more adult trauma as well. Trauma did not predict trust in authority figures. In contrast, across gender categoriesand#58; higher levels of child or adult trauma predicted lower levels of belief in a just world for themselves. In men but not womenand#58; more child and adult trauma predicted higher levels of imposter syndrome and higher adult trauma predicted less belief in a just world for others. These findings suggest that the gender of the victim and the timing of the trauma influence the presence of imposter syndrome and belief in a just world.