Relationship of personality and experience of flow with imposter syndrome among students

Procjenjuje se da barem 70% ljudi jednom u svom životu doživi epizodu sindroma uljeza (Gravois, 2007). Sindrom uljeza se definira kao unutarnje iskustvo intelektualne prevare kod visoko uspješnih pojedinaca, koji nisu u mogućnosti internalizirati svoja iskustva uspjeha. Ovi pojedinci svoje radove i uspjehe ne pripisuju svojim stvarnim kompetencijama i vještinama, već vanjskim čimbenicima, kao što su sreća, pomoć drugih, niži standardi, vrijeme, okolnosti u kojima su radili, itd. (Clance i Imes, 1978). Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi odnos osobina ličnosti Hexaco modela i sklonosti doživljaju zanesenosti u kontekstu obrazovanja i slobodnog vremena u objašnjavanju pojave sindroma uljeza kod studenata. Istraživanje je provedeno online upitnikom na uzorku od 418 studenata u Republici Hrvatskoj. Sudionici su ispunjavali Hrvatsku verziju Hexaco-Pi-R upitnika ličnosti, Skalu sindroma uljeza, Skalu za procjenu sklonosti iskustvima zanesenosti (u akademskom kontekstu i u slobodno vrijeme). Rezultati ukazuju na to da studenti u prosjeku često doživljavaju simptome sindroma uljeza te da postoji statistički značajna razlika u sklonosti pojave sindroma uljeza kod muškaraca i žena, žene postižu značajno više rezultate. Što se tiče osobina ličnosti, utvrđena je pozitivna povezanost između sindroma uljeza i emocionalnosti te negativna povezanost sindroma s ekstraverzijom i savjesnosti. Također, utvrđena je negativna povezanost između zanesenosti (u oba konteksta) i sindroma uljeza. Osobine ličnosti Hexaco modela i doživljaji zanesenosti objašnjavaju 43.2% varijance u sklonosti sindromu uljeza. Ekstraverzija i zanesenost u akademskom kontekstu su značajni prediktori, s negativnom povezanošću, dok su emocionalnost i otvorenost iskustvu značajni prediktori, s pozitivnom povezanošću sklonosti sindromu uljeza. Ovo istraživanje naglasilo je važnost osvještavanja problema sindroma uljeza među studentima, ukazalo koje osobine ličnosti bi mogle biti rizični/protektivni faktori za pojavu istoga te je istaknulo važnost doživljaja zanesenosti za psihološku dobrobit studenata i moguću prevenciju pojave sindroma uljeza.It is estimated that at least 70% of people experience an episode of imposter syndrome once in their lifetime (Gravois, 2007). Imposter syndrome is defined as the inner experience of intellectual deception in highly successful individuals, who are unable to internalize their experiences of success. These individuals do not attribute their work and success to their actual competencies and skills, but to external factors such as happiness, help from others, lower standards, time, circumstances in which they worked, etc. (Clance and Imes, 1978). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the personality traits of the Hexaco model and the propensity to experience flow in the context of education and leisure time in explaining the occurrence of imposter syndrome among students. The study was conducted through an online survey on a sample of 418 students in the Republic of Croatia. Participants completed the Croatian version of the Hexaco-Pi-R Personality Questionnaire, the Imposter Syndrome Scale and Flow Experience Rating Scale (in an academic context and in leisure time). The results indicate that students experience symptoms of imposter syndrome often on average and that there is a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of imposter syndrome in men and women, women score significantly higher results. Regarding personality traits, a positive correlation between imposter syndrome and emotionality and a negative correlation of the syndrome with extraversion and conscientiousness were found. Also, a negative correlation was found between flow experience (in both contexts) and imposter syndrome. The personality traits of the Hexaco model and the experiences of flow explain 43.2% of the variance in predisposition to imposter syndrome. Extraversion and flow in the academic context were statistically significant predictors, with a negative correlation, while emotionality and openness to experience were significant predictors, with a positive correlation of predisposition to imposter syndrome.This research emphasized the importance of raising awareness of the imposter syndrome among students, indicated which personality traits may be risk/protective factors for its development and highlighted the importance of experiencing flow for the psychological well-being of students and possible prevention of imposter syndrome