ArticlePDF Available
14 FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 367 ISSUE 6479 749SCIENCE sciencemag.org
PHOTO: AUSTIN GALLAGHER
contributing millions of dollars to local
economies through dive ecotourism (9).
The Greater Caribbean region relies
on healthy oceans to drive tourism and
sustain livelihoods. These developing
nations are poised to face mounting pres-
sures for access to fisheries in return for
development, as well as the increasing
impacts of habitat degradation and climate
change. MPA creation and enforcement
are admittedly complex; however, to arrest
the decline of threatened species in the
region, establishing large-scale MPAs in the
Greater Caribbean is both an opportunity
and a necessity.
Austin J. Gallagher1*, Diva J. Amon2,3, Tadzio
Bervoets4, Oliver N. Shipley5, Neil Hammerschlag6,
David W. Sims7,8
1Beneath the Waves, Herndon, VA 20172, USA.
2Department of Life Sciences, Natural History
Museum, London, UK. 3SpeSeas, Port of Spain,
Trinidad and Tobago. 4Dutch Caribbean Nature
Alliance, Kralendijk, Bonaire. 5School of Marine and
Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University,
Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA. 6Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of
Miami, Miami, FL 33146, USA. 7Marine Biological
Association of the UK, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK.
8University of Southampton, Southampton, SO14
3ZH, UK.
*Corresponding author.
Email: austin@beneaththewaves.org
REFERENCES AND NOTES
1. D. Juffe-Bignoli et al., “Protected planet report 2014”
(UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK, 2014).
2. N. Qu eiroz et al., Nature 572, 461 (2019).
3. C. M. Ro berts et al., Science 295, 1280 (2002).
4. C. Smyth, Q. A. Hanich, “Large scale marine protected
areas: Current status and consideration of socio-eco-
nomic dimensions” (Pew Charitable Trusts, Washington,
DC, 201 9).
5. G. Bustamante et al., Aquat. Conserv. Mar. Fresh.
Ecosyst. 24, 153 (2014).
6. A. P. Guarderas, S. D. Hacker, J. Lubchenco, Conserv. Biol.
22, 1630 (2008).
7. C. A. Ward-Pa ige et al. , PLOS One 8, e11968 (2010).
8. F. Ferretti, R . A. Myers, F. Sere na, H. K. Lo tze, Conserv.
Biol. 22, 952 (2008).
9. A. J. Gallagher, N. Hammerschlag, Curr. Issue. Tourism
14, 797 (2011).
10.1126/science.abb0650
The Caribbean needs big
marine protected areas
Large-scale marine protected areas (MPAs)
(>100,000 km2) seek to protect and connect
large pelagic ecosystems, enhance ecologi-
cal processes, and promote socioeconomic
benefits including sustainable fisheries (1).
One of their greatest benefits is the potential
to conserve highly migratory species such as
sharks, which can travel long distances span-
ning multiple national exclusive economic
zones (2). Despite a growing international
interest among many national govern-
ments, nongovernmental organizations,
and academic and philanthropic communi-
ties to create large-scale MPAs, the Greater
Caribbean, which contains the greatest
diversity of marine biota in the Atlantic
Ocean (3), has been grossly overlooked.
There are currently 33 large-scale MPAs,
but not one is in the Caribbean Sea (4).
Although there is a rich history of the estab-
lishment of MPAs in the Greater Caribbean
(5), the majority allow fishing (6) and do not
take into account the full representation of
ocean habitats and connectivity required
to encompass the space use of migratory
species. Large sharks are overfished in the
region; because they are caught locally
in high numbers, they are sparse across
most of the Greater Caribbean (7). [The
Mediterranean ocean basin, which is simi-
larly lacking in large-scale MPAs, provides
another glimpse of this trend—there, large
sharks have virtually disappeared due to
fishing pressure (8)]. Fortunately, in certain
countries where commercial longline fishing
has been banned (such as The Bahamas),
shark populations remain strong, thereby
Edited by Jennifer Sills
LETTERS
Imposter syndrome
threatens diversity
As higher education institutions adopt
admissions and hiring policies that promote
diversity and inclusion, they must also
implement policies to acknowledge and
combat the feelings of self-doubt known
as imposter syndrome. Those with impos-
ter syndrome have an innate fear of being
discovered as a fraud or non-deserving pro-
fessional, despite their demonstrated talent
and achievements (1). Imposter syndrome
has been found to be more prevalent in high
achievers (2, 3), women (3), and under-
represented racial, ethnic, and religious
minorities (47). If institutions and depart-
ments don’t take steps to allay these fears,
the science pipeline could suffer.
At an individual level, imposter syn-
drome can lead to psychological distress,
emotional suffering, and serious men-
tal health disorders, including chronic
dysphoric stress, anxiety, depression,
and drug abuse (8). In many cases, the
phenomenon manifests as early as high
school or college (9). Strikingly, in college
students belonging to racial minorities,
mental health problems have been better
predicted by imposter feelings than by
the stress associated with their minority
status (10). By constantly downplaying
their own accomplishments, those suffer-
ing from imposter syndrome may sabotage
their own career (4). At the societal level,
imposter syndrome may explain the higher
drop-out rates of women and minorities
from the science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics pipeline (3, 11).
To effectively increase diversity, institu-
tions must address imposter syndrome by
increasing the visibility of the problem,
Migratory species such as
tiger sharks benefit from large
marine protected areas.
Published by AAAS
on February 13, 2020 http://science.sciencemag.org/Downloaded from
providing access to mental health coaching,
and implementing supportive organi-
zational policies. Professors, principal
investigators, and peers should encourage
students and fellow scientists to focus on
factual evidence regarding their academic
performance and to set realistic expecta-
tions. Open discussions about imposter
syndrome at the institutional level should
put a name to these feelings and normal-
ize them as common experiences rather
than pathologizing them (3). Group peer
mentoring can allow mentees to gradu-
ally transition into mentors, building their
self-confidence as they become indepen-
dent scientists (12). Institutions should
provide training for mentors to help them
recognize the negative consequences of
the imposter syndrome. Finally, outreach
programs to high schools should make
students aware of imposter syndrome to
help them identify and overcome it as they
pursue their own education and careers.
George P. Chrousos1* and Alexios-Fotios Mentis2,3
1University Research Institute of Maternal and
Child Health & Precision Medicine, and UNESCO
Chair on Adolescent Health Care, National and
Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Aghia Sophia”
Children’s Hospital, Athens, Greece. 2Public Health
Laboratories, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens,
Greece. 3Laboratory of Microbiology, University
Hospital of Larissa, School of Medicine, University
of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
*Corresponding author.
Email: chrousge@med.uoa.gr
Fossil records show that the koala spe-
cies (Phascolarctos cinereus) is about 30
million years old (1). Koalas are robust—
the species has persisted in part because
it has evolved to metabolize and excrete
eucalyptus toxins (2). However, koalas
have undergone genetic bottlenecks and
drastic population declines due to hunt-
ing, car accidents, deforestation, climate
change, and diseases such as Chlamydia
and koala retroviruses. These threats have
caused direct mortalities, reduced the
koalas’ reproductive capacity, and limited
population distribution (3–5). A 2018 study
estimated that the koala population might
be as low as 43,000 individuals (6).
Despite the koala’s historic resilience,
recent Australia wildfires have put them in
grave danger. Since September 2019, nearly
1 billion animals have died in the fires,
including at least 25,000 koalas (7). In the
New South Wales region alone, 30% of the
koala population has likely been killed (8).
The koala’s habitat is now even smaller
and more fragmented than before. In the
face of these setbacks, koalas could soon
become functionally extinct (9).
To help the koala population, the current
IUCN listing of koalas as Vulnerable should
be immediately upgraded to Critically
Endangered. In addition, Australia should
increase forestation in the key habitat areas.
This will not only help the koalas but also
reduce the carbon footprint and climate
change currently threatening so many other
species and the region overall (10).
Su Shiung Lam1, Courtney Waugh2, Wanxi Peng3,
Christian Sonne4,3*
1Henan Agricultural University at Zhengzhou,
China, and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu at
Terengganu, Malaysia. 2University of Queensland
at Brisbane, QLD, Australia and Nord University
at Steinkjer, Norway. 3Forestry College of Henan
Agricultural University at Zhengzhou, China.
4Aarhus University at Roskilde, Denmark.
*Corresponding author. Email: cs@bios.au.dk
REFERENCES AND NOTES
1. K. H. Bl ack et al., Gondwana Res. 25, 1193 (2014).
2. B. D. Moo re, W. J. Foley, Nature 435, 488 (2005).
3. S. Farzin et al., Ecography 42, 1587 (20 19).
4. V. Gonzalez-Astudillo et al., Sci. Rep. 9, 17494 (2019).
5. B. S. La w et al ., PLOS One 13, e0205075 (2018).
6. Australian Koala Foundation, “The koala—Endangered
or not?” (2020); www.savethekoala.com/about-koalas/
koala-endangered-or-not.
7. G. Readfearn, “Kangaroo Island bushfires: Grave
fears for unique wildlife after estimated 25,000
koalas killed,The Guardian (2020); www.the-
guardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/07/
kangaroo-island-bushfires-grave-fears-for-unique-
wildlife-after-estimated-25000-koalas-killed.
8. E. Newburger,Australia fires kill half a billion
animals as crisis mounts,CNBC (2020); www.cnbc.
com/2020/01/03/australia-fires-nearly-half-a-billion-
animals-killed-as-crisis-mounts.html.
9. J. Davidson, “‘Functionally extinct’ koalas have now
lost 80% of habitat following recent fires, experts
say, EcoWatch (2019); www.ecowatch.com/koalas-
functionally-extinct-fires-2641450078.html.
10. G . Popk in, Nature 565, 280 (2019).
10.1126/science.aba8372
NEXTGEN VOICES: SUBMIT NOW
Mentor a job seeker
Add your voice to Science! In this NextGen Voices survey, a reader asks for your
advice. Have you been in this situation or one like it? Do you have any tips that you would
like to share? Become a NextGen Voices peer mentor by contributing your thoughts.
Dear NextGen Voices peer mentors,
I am the first of my family to go to graduate school, and I’m about to defend my Ph.D.
It has been a really tough few years, but now I’ve completed all the requirements in
my program, published two papers, and coauthored several more. I was even given
an “outstanding student” grant to attend a conference this year! Even so, this all feels
quite average for a Ph.D. student, and I feel like I can attribute most of my achieve-
ments to luck. The support of my peers and adviser also helped me a lot. As I apply for
jobs, I can often think of a colleague who seems more qualified for the position than
I am. I fail to meet many of the requirements listed for jobs outside of academia, but
the jobs I do qualify for seem like they’re all for people with less education than I have.
Still, I don’t want to oversell myself in applications or interviews. How can I realistically
assess my own potential and avoid wasting time applying to jobs I could never get?
Sincerely,
Seeking Career Clarity
To submit, go to www.sciencemag.org/nextgen-voices
Deadline for submissions is 28 February. A selection of the best responses will be
published in the 3 April issue of Science. Submissions should be 150 words or less.
Anonymous submissions will not be considered.
750 14 FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 367 ISSUE 6479 sciencemag.org SCIENCE
REFERENCES AND NOTES
1. P. R. Clance, S . A. Imes, Psychother. Theory Res. Pract. 15,
241 (197 8).
2. D. Dickerson, Nature 574, 5 88 (20 19).
3. M. Pri ce, Science 4, 10.1126/science.caredit.a1300188
(2013).
4. S. Mullangi, R. Jagsi, JAMA 322, 403 (2 019).
5. A. Parkman, J. High. Educ. Theory Pract. 16, 51 (2016).
6. A. M. Holliday et al., J. Gen. Intern. Med. 10.1007/s11606-
019-05441-5 (2019).
7. K. Cokley et al., J. Counsel. Psych. 64, 141 (2017).
8. C. Sonnak, T. Towell, Person. Indiv. Diff. 31, 863 (2001).
9. D. M. Brava ta et al., J. Gen. Intern. Med. 10.1007/s11606-
019-05364-1 (2019).
10. K. Cokley et al., J. Multicult. Counsel. Dev. 41, 82 (2013).
11. S.-A. A. Allen-Ramdial, A. G. Campbell, BioScience 64,
612 (2014).
12. M. C. Horner-Devine, T. Gonsalves, C. Margherio, S. J.
Mizumori, J. W. Yen, Science 362, 532 (2018).
10.1126/science.aba8039
Wildfire puts koalas at
risk of extinction
In his In Depth News story “Australia’s
vulnerable species hit hard by fires” (20
December, p. 1427), J. Pickrell discusses
the plight of some of the plant and animal
species hit hardest by the wildfires in
Australia. Although perhaps not in as
imminent danger as the species he high-
lights, Australia’s koala population has also
been put in a precarious position by the
fires. As scientists work to assess the dam-
age, they should not overlook the koala.
INSIGHTS |
LETTERS
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on February 13, 2020 http://science.sciencemag.org/Downloaded from
Imposter syndrome threatens diversity
George P. Chrousos and Alexios-Fotios Mentis
DOI: 10.1126/science.aba8039
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... The so-called glass ceiling of academia tends to prevent individuals from minority backgrounds from pursuing leadership positions and fosters bouts of imposter syndrome (Arday, 2018). Imposter syndrome creates a strong sense of self-doubt for not being intelligent enough or being discovered as a fraud and is particularly observed in high-achieving women (Clance & Imes, 1978) and academics from BAME backgrounds (Allen-Ramdial & Campbell, 2014;Chrousos & Mentis, 2020;Khatun et al., 2021). Research indicates that the "class ceiling" can also widen pay disparities between those from working-class backgrounds, women, ethnic minorities, and those educated at non-Russell group universities (Friedman et al., 2015). ...
... This may include experiences of microaggressions, discriminatory, and exclusionary practices. Staff should be made aware of and have access to initiatives such as mental health support and mentoring, especially for those from minoritised backgrounds (Chrousos & Mentis, 2020). • Inclusive spaces to talk about Whiteness: Whilst this is a difficult topic to discuss, all staff must be able to openly discuss, share, and engage in constructive conversations about the inherent Whiteness within the curriculum, workforce, and campus climates. ...
Chapter
Full-text available
British higher education (HE) inherently lacks representation and is often rooted in a rhetoric that favours theories, practices, concepts, and ideologies from a Eurocentric gaze. In this chapter, the authors share their personal lived experiences as Muslim academics, teaching at two different HE institutes. By adopting a duoethnographic approach, the authors reflexively discuss the intersectionality between their race, religion, social class, and ethnicity within the landscape of British academia. The authors critically discuss how their marginalised identities, and the lack of institutional recognition they receive, have contributed to a Eurocentric curriculum, imposter syndrome, tokenism, microaggressions, and a cold campus climate. The authors share antidotes of how they have navigated through their academic spaces by offering examples of inclusive practice and novel pedagogical approaches. These suggestions are presented across three themes: (1) learning through reflection, (2) learning through experiences, and (3) learning through action. Together, recommendations are made on how to develop a space that promotes equity and inclusivity to feel more recognised and valued within academia.
... This pressure may also lead to increased fatigue and IS, as students struggle to fulfill elevated expectations [83]. This kind of collectivistic society often prioritizes the significance of others' perceptions, potentially intensifying IS and exhaustion [89]. ...
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Full-text available
Stress exposure can take a toll on the adjustment of young individuals, including students. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of burnout and impostor syndrome (IS) on self-esteem and academic performance in medical students. The participants were 331 undergraduate medical students (102 men, 229 women; 89.7% native, 12,1% international; mean age = 21.18, SD = 2.338). The study instruments included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory for Students (CBI-S), Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), and Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, while academic performance (AP) was reported as received GPA (objective AP) and expected GPA (subjective AP). The statistical analysis comprised independent t-tests, MANOVA, ANOVA, and correlational and mediational analyses. The results showed that native students had lower self-esteem and higher scores of personal burnout and IS. Irrespective of cultural differences, women scored higher than men in IS and in personal burnout, while men had higher self-esteem than women. Burnout and IS were correlated with a decrease in self-esteem (adj. R2 = 0.531) in the overall sample, whereas in native students, IS was correlated with a difference between subjective and objective self-assessments of AP (adj. R2 = 0.027). Burnout and impostor syndrome, despite not directly impacting academic performance, may significantly influence self-esteem, making them a target for preventive or interventional measures.
... It could also be a function of imposter syndrome. Chrousos and Mentis [17] make clear the seriousness of imposter syndrome and how it can sabotage an academic career, especially for women in STEM disciplines. Thus, the most important recommendation coming out of this gender-based finding is that more research is urgently needed in order to clarify the origins of these dramatic differences. ...
Article
Full-text available
As part of program evaluation and continuous improvement, the University of Saskatchewan deployed a survey across the common Re-Engineered First-Year (REFY) program in September 2022, and collected just over 300 responses. This survey included four questions developed by Martin and Marsh [3] to measure academic buoyancy, which these authors define as the ability to cope with everyday academic setbacks. In this study, the highest buoyancy question score (slightly positive) referred to dealing with setbacks, and the lowest (slightly negative) referred to the ability to deal with stress. Statistical analyses show a correlation between the responses to the two buoyancy questions related to stress, as well as between the responses to the two buoyancy questions related to setbacks. There is a statistically significant difference in all academic buoyancy scores between male and female respondents (male scores are higher). Buoyancy scores for students participating in high-performance competitive sports also tended to be higher than those in recreational sport activities. Members of clubs also tended to have higher scores than students engaged in other extra-curricular activities.
... Though coded separately from mental health, students also described imposter syndrome as a barrier to participation. In science fields, imposter syndrome has been found to be more prevalent in highly achieving students, women, and members of traditionally marginalized racial, ethnic, and religious groups [71]. ...
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Undergraduate research has been identified as a high-impact educational practice. However, despite the body of evidence on the outcomes of undergraduate research, few studies have focused on the influences students face regarding participation. Developed using Science Capital and Social Cognitive Career Theory, a survey comprised of potential influences to undergraduate science research participation was disseminated to science majors at four R1 institutions in the Southeastern United States. Participation rates across several demographic factors and effect of participation influences were analysed. Results reveal a significantly greater proportion of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) and disability communities indicating participating in research than their peers. Additionally, fourteen participation influences were identified as having a significant difference in their level of influence to the ability to participate in research between researchers and non-researchers. These include professor influence, interest in research, interest in science, coursework in the major, and major all being rated as opportunities with a significant difference of effect between researchers and those who have not yet participated in research. The results of this study will be beneficial for science departments and their respective institutions to improve the equity of access to their undergraduate research experiences.
Chapter
This chapter emphasizes the critical role of mentorship in promoting professional growth and leadership within the Latinx community, with a focus on increasing the recruitment and retention of Latinx educators. Through a servant leadership lens and personal counter-storytelling, it highlights the challenges faced by Latinx educators and proposes actionable solutions. The chapter underscores the importance of diversity in the teaching workforce and how mentorship supports the well-being of future Latinx educators.
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The importance of a strong sense of belonging at school for academic engagement and performance, particularly for marginalized students, has been robustly demonstrated. However, researchers have not yet thoroughly explored its influence on Appalachian youth. As with other marginalized groups, Appalachian students may have difficulty feeling as though they belong when entering highly selective academic environments. This study investigates factors that Appalachian high schoolers identify as influencing their sense of belonging in a selective residential college preparatory program located outside of Appalachia. Employing a two-stage qualitative coding process involving analysis of open-ended survey responses and in-depth interviews with thirteen Appalachian high schoolers, we identified seven factors important to students’ sense of belonging: mental health experiences, student motivation, social identity, location of origin, interpersonal-level social context, academic culture, and school-level social context. Within these seven themes, two factors emerged that have not been linked to sense of belonging in prior literature: geographic identity (i.e., a feeling of connection to the place in which one lives) and academic achievement. The findings of this work contribute to a fuller understanding of the psychological processes affecting Appalachian students’ sense of belonging and better ensure their educational success in highly selective learning environments.
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Recent research into imposter phenomenon, or internal feelings of questioning competence, has shifted away from conceptualizing the feeling as an individual characteristic that requires an individual solution toward instead examining the role of context. We used a 2 (Generational Status: First Generation vs. Continuing Generation) × 3 (Environment: Classroom vs. Peer vs. Administration) × 2 (Social Comparison: Present vs. Absent) experimental vignette design. Overall, we found that, for both first- and continuing-generation students, social comparison messages differentially impacted imposter feelings depending on context, with the most elevated levels in social comparison messages from administrators and peers. Findings contribute to a better understanding of structural conditions that exacerbate or lessen imposter feelings at highly selective post-secondary institutions.
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Full-text available
Imposter syndrome, characterised by chronic self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud, is prevalent among university students. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of imposter syndrome between students in government and Imposter syndrome, characterised by chronic self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud, is prevalent among university students. A total of 120 students (60 from government universities and 60 from private universities) participated, Results indicated that government university students exhibited higher levels of self-handicapping behaviour and perfectionism, and lower levels of self-efficacy, supporting the hypothesis. These findings underscore the need for targeted support systems in government universities to address imposter syndrome. Future research should explore larger, more diverse samples and consider longitudinal designs.
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Full-text available
Background: Impostor syndrome is increasingly presented in the media and lay literature as a key behavioral health condition impairing professional performance and contributing to burnout. However, there is no published review of the evidence to guide the diagnosis or treatment of patients presenting with impostor syndrome. Purpose: To evaluate the evidence on the prevalence, predictors, comorbidities, and treatment of impostor syndrome. Data sources: Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO (January 1966 to May 2018) and bibliographies of retrieved articles. Study selection: English-language reports of evaluations of the prevalence, predictors, comorbidities, or treatment of impostor syndrome. Data extraction: Two independent investigators extracted data on study variables (e.g., study methodology, treatments provided); participant variables (e.g., demographics, professional setting); diagnostic tools used, outcome variables (e.g., workplace performance, reductions in comorbid conditions); and pre-defined quality variables (e.g., human subjects approval, response rates reported). Data synthesis: In total, 62 studies of 14,161 participants met the inclusion criteria (half were published in the past 6 years). Prevalence rates of impostor syndrome varied widely from 9 to 82% largely depending on the screening tool and cutoff used to assess symptoms and were particularly high among ethnic minority groups. Impostor syndrome was common among both men and women and across a range of age groups (adolescents to late-stage professionals). Impostor syndrome is often comorbid with depression and anxiety and is associated with impaired job performance, job satisfaction, and burnout among various employee populations including clinicians. No published studies evaluated treatments for this condition. Limitations: Studies were heterogeneous; publication bias may be present. Conclusions: Clinicians and employers should be mindful of the prevalence of impostor syndrome among professional populations and take steps to assess for impostor feelings and common comorbidities. Future research should include evaluations of treatments to mitigate impostor symptoms and its common comorbidities.
Article
Full-text available
This study investigated whether impostor feelings would both moderate and mediate the relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health in a sample of diverse ethnic minority college students (106 African Americans, 102 Asian Americans, 108 Latino/a Americans) at an urban public university. African American students reported higher perceived discrimination than Asian American and Latino/a American students, while no racial/ethnic group differences were reported for impostor feelings. Analyses revealed that among African American students, high levels of impostor feelings moderated the perceived discrimination and depression relationship and mediated the perceived discrimination and anxiety relationship. Among Asian American students, impostor feelings mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and both depression and anxiety. Among Latino/a American students low levels of impostor feelings moderated the relationship between perceived discrimination and both depression and anxiety, and partially mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and anxiety. Multigroup path analyses revealed a significantly stronger impact of impostor feelings on depression among African American students and a stronger impact of perceived discrimination on impostor feelings among African American and Latino/a American students. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Article
Desiree Dickerson discusses learning to control the voice in her head that insisted she wasn’t good enough. Desiree Dickerson discusses learning to control the voice in her head that insisted she wasn’t good enough. Plastic glasses on pink background
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A few weeks ago, a Twitter account called @womeninmedchat facilitated an online conversation about imposter syndrome in medicine. Imposter syndrome is a psychological term that refers to a pattern of behavior wherein people (even those with adequate external evidence of success) doubt their abilities and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. Online, there were numerous responses: women talked frankly about how they attributed accomplishments to luck or good timing instead of merit, voicing fears that they had simply duped others with an illusion of competence.
Article
Achieving trainee diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is rapidly becoming a challenge faced by many nations. Success in this area ensures the availability of a workforce capable of engaging in scientific practices that will promote increased production capacity and creativity and will preserve global scientific competitiveness. The near-term vision of achieving this goal is within reach and will capitalize on the growing numbers of underrepresented minority groups in the population. Although many nations have had remarkable histories as leaders in science and technology, few have simultaneously struggled with the challenge of meeting the educational and training needs of underrepresented groups. In this article, we share strategies for building the agency of the scientific community to achieve greater diversity by highlighting four key action areas: (1) aligning institutional culture and climate; (2) building interinstitutional partnerships; (3) building and sustaining critical mass; and (4) ensuring, rewarding, and maximizing faculty involvement.