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Prevalence and predictive factors of impostor phenomenon among graduate students in healthcare-related programs
... Hence, there is a necessity for larger, multi-site effectiveness trials in real-world settings. Additionally, a limitation was the predominance of female participants in the majority of studies, likely reflecting the higher prevalence of the IS prevalence women [56]. Recent analyses confirm female gender as a predictor of IS predictor [5,[56][57][58], underscoring the potential to enhance educational interventions by addressing gender-specific needs. ...
... Additionally, a limitation was the predominance of female participants in the majority of studies, likely reflecting the higher prevalence of the IS prevalence women [56]. Recent analyses confirm female gender as a predictor of IS predictor [5,[56][57][58], underscoring the potential to enhance educational interventions by addressing gender-specific needs. Despite these limitations, controlled research settings have produced promising evidence that structured online training and coaching can positively impact psychological well-being. ...
Background
Impostor syndrome and burnout are highly prevalent among medical students and trainees, significantly impacting their mental health and professional development. The advent of online educational interventions provides a promising solution, offering accessibility and flexibility to tackle these issues. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of online educational interventions in alleviating impostor syndrome and burnout among medical learners.
Methods
A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus and PsycInfo, identifying relevant studies published up to March 2024. Studies focusing on online interventions targeting impostor syndrome and burnout among medical students, residents, and fellows were included, and their quality was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI).
Results
Among the screened studies, six met our inclusion criteria, comprising four randomized controlled trials, one qualitative study, and one mixed-methods study. Their mean MERSQI score was 14.67 (SD 1.23), indicating a high methodological quality. The interventions adopted in these studies varied, including group coaching sessions, workshops, and provision of educational resources. Notably, two randomized trials demonstrated significant reductions in impostor syndrome symptoms after online interventions, compared with the control groups. On the other hand, results for burnout outcomes were equivocal, with some studies reporting improved emotional exhaustion scores and decreased burnout risk, while others found no significant differences.
Conclusions
Current evidence suggests that structured online educational interventions, particularly those incorporating coaching and cognitive reframing strategies, can effectively reduce impostor syndrome among medical trainees. However, the impact on burnout remains inconclusive. Further research is needed to optimize online program components and implementation strategies to comprehensively address both impostor syndrome and burnout in this population.
Clinical trial number
As this is a systematic review rather than a clinical trial, no clinical trial number is applicable. Nonetheless, this systematic review has been prospectively registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42024541034), in line with best practice recommendations for systematic reviews.
Background: Imposter syndrome and burnout are highly prevalent among medical students and trainees, significantly impacting their mental health and professional development. The advent of online educational interventions provides a promising solution, offering accessibility and flexibility to tackle these issues. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of online educational interventions in alleviating imposter syndrome and burnout among medical learners.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and PsycInfo, identifying relevant studies published up to March 2024. Studies focused on online interventions targeting imposter syndrome and burnout among medical students, residents, and fellows were included, and their quality was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI).
Results: Among the screened studies, six met our inclusion criteria, comprising four randomized controlled trials, one qualitative study, and one mixed-methods study. Their mean MERSQI score was 14.67 (SD 1.23), indicating a high methodological quality. The interventions adopted in these studies varied, including group coaching sessions, workshops, and provision of educational resources. Notably, two randomized trials demonstrated significant reductions in imposter syndrome symptoms after online interventions, compared with the control groups. On the other hand, results for burnout outcomes were equivocal, with some studies reporting improved emotional exhaustion scores and decreased burnout risk, while others found no significant differences.
Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that structured online educational interventions, particularly those incorporating coaching and cognitive reframing strategies, can effectively reduce imposter syndrome among medical trainees. However, the impact on burnout remains inconclusive. Further research is needed to optimize online program components and implementation strategies to comprehensively address both imposter syndrome and burnout in this population.
Background
Impostor syndrome is characterized by fraudulent self-doubt and correlates with burnout, and adverse mental health.
Objective
The objective was to investigate correlates of Impostor syndrome in a medical education cohort and determine if an interactive workshop can improve knowledge and perception of Impostor syndrome.
Methods
From June 2019 to February 2021 interactive educational workshops were conducted for medical education cohorts. Participants completed baseline knowledge and Impostor syndrome self-identification surveys, participated in interactive presentations and discussions, followed by post-intervention surveys.
Results
There were 198 participants including 19% residents, 10% medical students, 30% faculty and 41% Graduate Medical Education (GME) administrators. Overall, 57% were positive for Impostor syndrome. Participants classified as the following Impostor syndrome competence subtypes: Expert = 42%; Soloist = 34%; Super-person = 31%; Perfectionist = 25%; and Natural Genius = 21%. Self-identified contributors of IS included: parent expectations = 72%, female gender = 58%, and academic rat race = 37%. GME administrators compared to physicians/medical students had significantly higher number of self-identified contributors to Impostor syndrome. Knowledge survey scores increased from 4.94 (SD = 2.8) to 5.78 (2.48) post intervention (p = 0.045). Participants with Impostor syndrome competence subtypes had increased perceptions of Impostor syndrome as a cause of stress, failure to reach full potential, and negative relationships/teamwork (p = 0.032 -<0.001).
Conclusion
Impostor syndrome was common in this medical education cohort, and those with Impostor syndrome significantly attributed negative personal and professional outcomes to Impostor syndrome. An interactive workshop on Impostor syndrome can be used to increase perceptions and knowledge regarding Impostor syndrome. The materials can be adapted for relevance to various audiences.
The impostor phenomenon (IP) (also known as impostor syndrome) describes high-achieving individuals who, despite their objective successes, fail to internalize their accomplishments and have persistent self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud or impostor. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of IP within a sample of nutrition and dietetics students and practitioners. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted and utilized a non-random, convenience sampling approach. A total of 1015 students, dietetic interns, and currently practicing and retired registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetic technicians registered provided complete responses. IP was assessed with the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS). Self-reported job satisfaction and well-being were assessed using validated scales. Average CIPS score was 66.0 ± 16.3 (range 22–99), and higher scores indicate more frequent or severe IP experiences. Frequent or intense IP was reported by 64% of survey respondents (n = 655). Older age, greater educational attainment and professional level, and membership in Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics groups were associated with lower IP scores. Greater social media use was associated with higher IP scores. Job satisfaction and overall well-being were inversely correlated with IP (p < 0.001). Findings suggest that IP experiences were common among a majority of nutrition and dietetics students and practitioners surveyed. Additional research and development of preventative strategies and interventions is needed.
The journey of graduate students through academia can be a difficult road plagued with several roadblocks due to several intersectional factors. These difficulties often impact the students’ mental health with severe consequences on their well-being and personal and academic achievements. There is a critical need for researchers to conduct studies in response to the positive mental well-being for this group of trainees, considering their peculiar role in the scholarly environment. This study aimed to explore the scientific research on the health and well-being of graduate students; typify the scientific landscape and development trajectory, cooperation networks, and fundamental research areas; and identify areas of needed research in this field. A bibliometric analysis of articles indexed in Scopus and published in the past decade (2012 to 2021) was undertaken. The results revealed that the research on graduate students’ mental health and well-being has increased over the years, significantly in the past two years, probably owing to the incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns around remote learning. The highest number of publications was from the United Kingdom (U.K.) and United States (U.S.), while the organizational affiliations were mainly from universities. The most prominent source type of publications was journal articles. The result also shows a weak collaboration across countries and organizations. The study identifies other areas of useful research, collaboration, intervention strategies, and policy review.
This research's primary purpose was to explore the prevalence of the impostor syndrome and its associated factors among 130 Romanian psychology students (M = 21.77 years, SD = 3.51, 84.6% females). Our results suggested that 56.15% of the study participants experienced high and intense impostor syndrome aspects. More specifically, students who perceived themselves as impostors presented high levels of psychological distress and procrastination. We also explored the link between moral identity and the impostor syndrome and found that students who experienced the syndrome associate higher importance to moral values than non-impostors. We tested a prediction model for the impostor syndrome, using depression, anxiety, procrastination, moral self, moral integrity, and several demographic variables as predictors (i.e., age, gender, study year, and living area). Our prediction model explained 33.9% of the impostor syndrome's variance. Finally, we tested two moderation models concerning the relationship between the impostor syndrome, procrastination, anxiety, and depression. Results suggested that the relationship between procrastination and anxiety was moderated by impostor syndrome. We discuss the importance of these findings in designing effective intervention strategies to fight the students' impostor syndrome.
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.
Objectives
To describe levels of burnout and impostor syndrome (IS) in medical students, and to recognize demographic differences in those experiencing burnout and IS.
Methods
Research participants included 2,612 medical students who entered Jefferson Medical College between 2002 and 2012. This sample was divided into two groups: Matriculants between 2002 and 2007 (n=1,380) and between 2008 and 2012 (n=1,232). Data for 2002-2007 matriculants were subjected to EFA (principal component factor extraction), and data for matriculants of 2008-2012 were used for CFA (structural equation modeling, and root mean square error for approximation).
Results
One hundred and thirty-eight students completed the questionnaire. Female gender was significantly associated with IS (χ²(3)=10.6, p=0.004) with more than double the percentage of females displaying IS than their male counterparts (49.4% of females versus 23.7% of males). IS was significantly associated with the burnout components of exhaustion (χ² (2)=5.9, p=0.045), cynicism (χ²(2)=9.4, p=0.004), emotional exhaustion (χ²(2)=8.0, p=0.018), and depersonalization (χ² (2)=10.3, p=0.006). The fourth year of medical school was significantly associated with IS (χ²(3)=10.5, p=0.015).
Conclusions
Almost a quarter of male medical students and nearly half of female students experience IS and IS was found to be significantly associated with burnout indices. Given the high psychological morbidity of these conditions, this association cannot be ignored. It behooves us to reconsider facets of medical education (i.e. shame-based learning and overall teaching style) and optimize the medical learning environment.
The term "impostor phenomenon" is used to designate an internal experience of intellectual phoniness that appears to be particularly prevalent and intense among a select sample of high achieving women. Certain early family dynamics and later introjection of societal sex-role stereotyping appear to contribute significantly to the development of the impostor phenomenon. Despite outstanding academic and professional accomplishments, women who experience the impostor phenomenon persist in believing that they are really not bright and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise. Numerous achievements, which one might expect to provide ample objective evidence of superior intellectual functioning, do not appear to affect the impostor belief. Four factors that contribute to the maintenance of impostor feelings over time are explored. Therapeutic approaches found to be effective in helping women change the impostor self-concept are described. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The rapid growth of the Internet provides a wealth of new research opportunities for psychologists. Internet data collection methods, with a focus on self-report questionnaires from self-selected samples, are evaluated and compared with traditional paper-and-pencil methods. Six preconceptions about Internet samples and data quality are evaluated by comparing a new large Internet sample (N = 361,703) with a set of 510 published traditional samples. Internet samples are shown to be relatively diverse with respect to gender, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and age. Moreover, Internet findings generalize across presentation formats, are not adversely affected by nonserious or repeat responders, and are consistent with findings from traditional methods. It is concluded that Internet methods can contribute to many areas of psychology.
Some family medicine residents often doubt their ability to become competent family physicians. Individuals who believe themselves to be less intelligent and less competent than others perceive them to be are described in the psychological literature as having the "impostor phenomenon." This study sought to determine the prevalence of the impostor phenomenon in family medicine residents.
We conducted a mail survey of all 255 family medicine residents in Wisconsin. The survey included the Clance Imposter Scale and two scales measuring depression and anxiety.
A total of 185 surveys were returned, for a 73% response rate. Forty-one percent of women and 24% of men scored as "impostors." Impostor symptoms were highly correlated with depression and anxiety.
About one third of family medicine residents believe they are less intelligent and less competent than others perceive them to be. These residents suffer psychological distress and do not believe they will be ready to practice family medicine after graduation. Teachers may assist these learners by letting them know such feelings are common and by providing regular, timely, and positive feedback.
Healthcare graduate students are constantly adapting to various practice settings and increased rigor to meet program expectations. This increasing level of high expectations and having to perform in front of competent clinicians often induce feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and fraudulent characteristics of a student impostor. Individuals who identify with the impostor phenomenon may set high self-standards of performance to feel worthy, feel fraudulent, and lack a sense of belonging, and often attribute personal successes to external sources or situations. Identifying the student impostor is the initial step to fostering student success in the clinic. Clinical and academic faculty suspecting a student impostor should take immediate measures to intervene to prevent further decay of the student's clinical experience. Unmasking the student impostor followed with swift interventions using suggested strategies provided in this paper will improve the student's and preceptor's overall clinical experience, leading to a positive outcome.
Despite increasing studies into the effects of imposter phenomenon, there lacks empirically tested interventions that could help individuals address the distorted cognitions associated with “feeling like a fake” in their work role. Using a multistage sequential mixed methods study design, we developed and pilot-tested a workshop intervention based on cognitive processing therapy to determine the impact on participants’ imposter tendencies, core self-evaluation, and transfer of learning outcomes. As a result of the workshop, participants reported significantly lower imposter scores and increased core self-evaluation ratings compared to their baseline results. Participants also described proximal and distal transfer of learning outcomes and the overall impacts of increased agency in challenging distorted thinking patterns, greater awareness and normalizing of their imposter experiences, and use of experiential learning to continue addressing future imposter episodes. While preliminary, our study offers empirical support of a work-based intervention to help employees disrupt distorted thinking patterns associated with experiencing imposter tendencies.
Graduate school often begins with feelings of hope and excitement, but there can also be feelings of fear and self-perceived inadequacy. If left unaddressed, these feelings of uncertainty can evolve into more pronounced self-doubt that permeates through graduate school's hallmark experiences. This phenomenon, known as impostor syndrome, can impact how individuals perceive themselves, expect others to perceive them, attribute successes, navigate challenges, and collaborate with others.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to quantify the prevalence of impostor phenomenon (IP) and to assess well-being in pharmacy residents, as well as analyze the effects of demographics on these outcomes.
Methods
A cross-sectional, survey-based study was performed. Pharmacy residency program directors and pharmacy directors were asked to forward an invitation email to actively enrolled postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 pharmacy residents in March 2019. The survey used the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) to identify IP and the Mayo Clinic Resident/Fellow Well-Being Index (RWBI) to assess resident well-being.
Results
Survey respondents were mostly female, enrolled in PGY1 programs and single with no children. Of the 720 responses included in the study, 57.5% (n = 414) were identified as “impostors” (CIPS score of ≥62), with a mean CIPS score of 64.0 (SD, 15.0). Prior mental health treatment and increased hours worked per week were significant predictors of IP. The greatest correlation was found in those working greater than 80 hours per week compared to less than 60 hours per week (ß = 9.845; P < 0.001). The mean RWBI score was 4.2 (SD, 1.8), with 47.8% (n = 344) of residents scoring ≥5, the cutoff for identifying those at greatest risk of distress. Age, previous mental health treatment, and increasing hours worked per week were significant predictors of RWBI ≥5. CIPS and RWBI scores were found to exhibit weak but significant correlation (ρ = 0.357; P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Pharmacy residents displayed significantly higher prevalence of IP vs comparable groups as well as significantly more distress with potential for a personal and/or professional consequence.
Many college students intend to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers but quickly abandon these goals when confronted with notoriously competitive STEM courses that often pit students against each other. This emphasis on interpersonal competition could be especially detrimental for first-generation (FG) college students, an underrepresented group in STEM fields which more strongly values communality and collaboration relative to their continuing-generation peers. Thus, FG students may experience more imposter feelings in STEM courses perceived as having a competitive culture. A longitudinal study (with 818 students and 2,638 experience-sampling observations) found that perceived classroom competition was associated with greater daily in-class imposter feelings among all students—but especially among FG students. Imposter feelings in turn predicted students’ end-of-term course engagement, attendance, dropout intentions, and course grades. Classroom competition and the imposter feelings it engenders may be an overlooked barrier for promoting the engagement, performance, and retention of FG students in STEM.
Many of the discrepancies reported to date in empirical investigations of the impostor phenomenon (IP) may be due in part to (a) the use of different methods for identifying individuals suffering from this syndrome (impostors), (b) the common use of a median split procedure to classify subjects and (c) the fact that subjects in many studies were drawn from impostor-prone samples. In this study, we compared the scores of independently identified impostors and nonimpostors on two instruments designed to measure the IP: Harvey's I-P Scale and Clance's IP Scale. The results suggest that Clance's scale may be the more sensitive and reliable instrument. Cutoff score suggestions for both instruments are offered.
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