Male survivors of childhood sexual abuse: perceived social support as a correlate of imposter phenomenon — an exploratory study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Male survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) often grapple with lasting self-doubt and feelings of fraudulence, hallmarks of imposter phenomenon. We investigated how perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others relates to imposter phenomenon (IP) in this group, expecting higher degrees of support to link with lower imposter feelings. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, 85 male participants aged 20–35 years from Delhi NCR, participated through purposive and snowball methods, completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale. Results Analyses indicated significant negative associations between Imposter Phenomenon and the Perceived Social Support (PSS) (r = –.567, p < .01) and its domains of Significant Other (r = –.609, p < .01), Friends (r = –.490, p < .01), and Family (r = –.426, p < .01). Regression analysis showed that the PSS total explained 32.9% where R 2 = .329, F (3,81) = 40.70, p < .001., while PSS domains explained 38.1% of the variance in perceived social support, R 2 = .381, F (3, 81) = 16.59, p < .001. Conclusions Inverse links between social support and imposter phenomenon were confirmed, pinpointing significant other as particularly protective, followed by friends and family. These insights strengthen the need to provide tailored support strategies for male survivors and call for expanded research despite constraints of sample size and cross-sectional data in India.
Source: BMC Psychology
Authors: Shubham Sharma, Seema Singh, Kanika Ahuja
Institutions: Amity University, University of Delhi
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,990
OpenAlex ID: W7161980945