This article examines the hypothesis that individuals who were parentified as children are more likely to report impostor feelings in adulthood. A sample of 213 graduate students were given the Parentification Questionnaire (Sessions & Jurkovic, 1986) and Clance's Impostor Phenomenon Scale (Clance, 1985). Results indicated that parentification and the impostor phenomenon are moderately correlated (r = .37). No significant gender differences were found for either construct. With regard to racial/ethnic differences, no significant differences were found in parentification scores; however, Caucasians endorsed significantly higher impostor phenomenon scores than African Americans. The results suggest that the impostor phenomenon can be explained, in part, as a significant long-term effect of childhood parentification.

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The developmental issues of adolescence make their treatment issues distinctly different from those of either adults or children (Cole & Putnam, 1992). Group treatment is considered an ideal modality for adolescent victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) because of adolescents' emphasis on peer relationships in their struggle for identity development (Corder, 2000). A review of outcome studies from 1985 to 2005 revealed only 10 studies that specifically addressed group therapy for sexually abused girls ages 11 to 18. The groups reviewed varied in length of treatment, treatment setting, research methodology and treatment model, including cognitive behavioral, psycho-educational, psychodrama, multidimensional, and Rogerian/humanistic groups. Only 4 utilized comparison or control groups. Seven of the groups took place in outpatient settings, while 3 took place in inpatient or residential settings. Psychodrama models resulted in decreases in depressive symptoms, while cognitive behavioral groups and multidimensional groups incorporating graduated exposure were associated with PTSD symptom reduction. While none of the studies reported significant changes in externalizing behavior, at least according to parent reports, several group models resulted in significant reductions in group members' self-reported anxiety symptoms and increases in self-reported self-esteem.