[1] One source defines it as "the subjective experience of perceived self-doubt in one's abilities and accomplishments compared with others, despite evidence to suggest the contrary".
[7] Although impostor phenomenon is not a pathological condition, it is a distorted system of belief about oneself that can have a powerful negative impact on a person's valuation of their own worth.
[2] Impostor syndrome can stem from and result in strained personal relationships and can hinder people from achieving their full potential in their fields of interest.
This 20-item measure, in contrast to the Harvey Impostor Scale, recognizes the anxiety associated with being judged and the sense of inferiority towards peers.
[12] These include: In 2019, when a systematic review was conducted, none of the 62 studies on impostor syndrome empirically assessed the efficacy of treatment.
[5] In their 1978 paper, Clance and Imes proposed a therapeutic approach they used for their participants or clients with impostor phenomenon.
[13] The researchers concluded that simply extracting the self-doubt before an event occurs helps eliminate feelings of impostorism.
[16] Clance and Imes stated in their 1978 article that, based on their clinical experience, impostor phenomenon was less prevalent in men.
[3] This association with women was thought to stem from societal pressures, gender biases, and traditional expectations that shaped self-perceptions.
Healthy attribution patterns or having a positive way of understanding challenges and successes are particularly beneficial to women in male-dominated or difficult spaces.
[18] Further research has also suggested that women may experience higher societal pressure to prove competence in male-dominated fields, potentially amplifying impostor feelings in certain contexts.
Additionally, women may experience more gender-based discrimination or harassment especially in male dominated workplaces which may increase feelings of depression and anxiety.
Men, on the other hand, may experience stigma against openly discussing insecurities, which can mask the true prevalence of impostor syndrome among male populations.
Common facets of impostor phenomenon experienced by students include not feeling prepared academically (especially when comparing themselves to classmates).
They held the false assumption that they only received their acceptance due to affirmative action—rather than an extraordinary application and qualities they had to offer.
The purpose of the study was to investigate the Impostor Phenomenon's relationship to perfectionistic cognitions, depression, anxiety, achievement motives, self-efficacy, self-compassion, and self-esteem in clinical and counseling psychology doctoral students.
This study also found significant positive correlations between the Impostor Phenomenon and perfectionistic cognitions, depression, anxiety, and self-compassion.