Thesis (MPsy(Specialisation))--University of South Australia, 2003.

The impostor phenomenon (IP) refers to a feeling of intellectual inadequacy which is especially prevalent in university contexts and leads to high attrition rates (Parkman & Beard, 2009), depression (McGregor, Gee, & Posey, 2008), and anxiety (Fraenza, 2016) among students. The impostor phenomenon is negatively related to career development, as sufferers may fail to plan for their careers or to create appropriate strategies to reach their goals (Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch, 2016). The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether participants enrolled in a university course which is dominated by the opposite gender are more likely to experience the impostor phenomenon. This study specifically looked at engineering and nursing undergraduate students. The objectives of this study included exploring the relationship between the impostor phenomenon and self-efficacy, as well as exploring the occurrence thereof among participants in either traditional or non-traditional university courses. This quantitative study (N = 214) made use of a factorial design and data were collected through the use of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (Clance, 1985) and the Career-Decision Self-Efficacy Scale, short form (Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996). Results indicated that, as expected, women who are enrolled in male-dominated engineering courses do score higher on the Impostor Phenomenon Scale than both men and women in traditional courses. However, this study did not find differences in the level of career-decisions self-efficacy between the male and female samples, regardless of the gender composition of their specific courses. The researcher postulates that this may be due to the sheer determination of the women in atypical courses to succeed and persist in their studies. The researcher also found a negative relationship between IP and self-efficacy. / Mini Dissertation (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Psychology / MA (Research Psychology) / Unrestricted

Since the imposter phenomenon was first identified, much research has been conducted on its occurrence in different populations and its impact on functioning. This study investigated the influence of the imposter phenomenon on counseling selfefficacy among graduate level counseling and counseling psychology trainees. A structural equation model was developed and tested to determine the relationships between counseling experience, the imposter phenomenon, and counseling selfefficacy. The model indicated that the imposter phenomenon had a negative relationship with counseling self-efficacy. It also revealed the influence of prior experience, months in practicum, and number of counseling hours on counseling selfefficacy. Additionally, the lack of relationship between experience and the imposter phenomenon suggested that imposter feelings persist beyond the early levels of trainees’ development. The imposter phenomenon, however, moderated the relationships between two experience variables, months in practicum and number of counseling hours, and counseling self-efficacy. The results did not reveal a mediating effect of the imposter phenomenon on the relationship between experience and counseling self-efficacy. Supplementary analysis using a MIMIC model indicated no significant relationship between gender and imposter feelings. Strengths, limitations, directions for future research, and implications for practice and training counselors and counseling psychologists were presented. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impostor phenomenon (IP), an internal feeling of intellectual phoniness that was originally discovered in a group of highly successful women (Clance & Imes, 1979), by administering Harvey's IP Scale, Ratter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (LOC) and a demographic questionnaire to 126 college students (73 women and 53 men). The goal of this study was to examine the relationships between the impostor phenomenon locus of control, gender, level of education, generation status, age and race. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between the impostor phenomenon and locus of control. No other constructs were found to be significantly related to the impostor phenomenon. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Racial and ethnic diversity representation in the field of health service psychology is neither equitable nor reflective of the increasingly diverse population nationwide. This discrepancy is endemic to widespread problems associated with mental health care: Minorities are severely underrepresented in the workforce, in psychology training programs, and in treatment populations. The longstanding lack of diversity among trainees in doctoral programs and among professionals in the workforce is associated with poorer mental health outcomes among minority patients; however, the specific contributors that facilitate and maintain racial/ethnic diversity constriction appear to be understudied. Based on the extant literature, a reasonable hypothesis might be that admission of qualified underrepresented minorities to doctoral training is constricted by ineffective and/or outdated recruitment and admissions practices. The proposed study sought to investigate whether impostor feelings or self-reported resilience might be predictive of intent to apply to graduate programs among underrepresented minority students earning their bachelor's degree in psychology. Results indicated that resilience was the most impactful variable in undergraduate students' intent to apply to graduate programs. Hypothesized ethnic differences in impostor feelings and self-perceived resilience were not observed in the study sample. The larger implications of these findings underscore the need for more culturally informed measures that accurately represent the experiences of underrepresented minorities in psychology's training-to-workforce pipeline. A representative workforce via is integral to optimizing treatment outcomes for underserved communities long-term and, as such, necessitates more research into problematic points on representation constriction in the training-to-workforce pipeline.

The‌ ‌purpose‌ ‌of‌ ‌this‌ ‌study‌ ‌was‌ ‌to‌ ‌investigate‌ ‌the‌ ‌experience‌ ‌of‌ ‌impostor‌ ‌phenomenon‌ ‌in‌ ‌ female‌ ‌managers‌ ‌in‌ ‌their‌ ‌professional‌ ‌role.‌ ‌The‌ ‌study‌ ‌was‌ ‌based‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌qualitative‌ ‌method‌ ‌ where‌ ‌seven‌ ‌semi-structured‌ ‌interviews‌ ‌were‌ ‌conducted.‌ ‌The‌ ‌result‌ ‌was‌ ‌analyzed‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌basis‌ ‌ of‌ ‌an‌ ‌inductive‌ ‌thematic‌ ‌analysis,‌ ‌which‌ ‌generated‌ ‌four‌ ‌main‌ ‌themes‌ ‌describing‌ ‌the‌ ‌ respondents'‌ ‌experience‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌phenomenon‌:‌‌ ‌work‌ ‌experience‌ ‌and‌ ‌education,‌ ‌requirements‌ ‌ and‌ ‌expectations,‌ ‌anxiety‌ ‌and‌ ‌consequences‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌importance‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌support.‌‌ ‌The‌ ‌result‌ ‌ showed‌ ‌that‌ ‌all‌ ‌respondents‌ ‌experienced‌ ‌the‌ ‌impostor‌ ‌phenomenon‌ ‌in‌ ‌their‌ ‌professional‌ ‌role.‌ ‌ The‌ ‌extent‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌respondents‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌experience‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌impostor‌ ‌phenomenon‌ ‌could‌ ‌be‌ ‌ influenced‌ ‌by‌ ‌a‌ ‌number‌ ‌of‌ ‌factors‌ ‌such‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌requirement‌ ‌of‌ ‌superior‌ ‌managers,‌ ‌the‌ ‌support‌ ‌ of‌ ‌managers‌ ‌and‌ ‌colleagues‌ ‌as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌education‌ ‌and‌ ‌work‌ ‌experience.‌ ‌The‌ ‌results‌ ‌further‌ ‌ showed‌ ‌that‌ ‌frequent‌ ‌experiences‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌phenomenon‌ ‌could‌ ‌generate‌ ‌negative‌ ‌consequences,‌ ‌ but‌ ‌in‌ ‌cases‌ ‌where‌ ‌the‌ ‌experiences‌ ‌were‌ ‌to‌ ‌a‌ ‌lesser‌ ‌extent‌ ‌it‌ ‌contributed‌ ‌to‌ ‌a‌ ‌positive‌ ‌ individual‌ ‌development.‌ ‌ / Syftet‌ ‌med‌ ‌denna‌ ‌studie‌ ‌var‌ ‌att‌ ‌undersöka‌ ‌upplevelsen‌ ‌av‌ ‌impostor‌ ‌phenomenon‌ ‌hos‌ ‌ kvinnliga‌ ‌chefer‌ ‌i‌ ‌deras‌ ‌yrkesroll. ‌‌Studien‌ ‌utgick‌ ‌från‌ ‌en‌ ‌kvalitativ‌ ‌metod‌ ‌i‌ ‌vilken‌ ‌sju‌ ‌ semistrukturerade‌ ‌intervjuer‌ ‌genomfördes. ‌‌Resultatet‌ ‌analyserades‌ ‌utifrån‌ ‌en‌ ‌induktiv‌ ‌ tematisk‌ ‌analys‌ ‌vilket‌ ‌genererade‌ ‌fyra‌ ‌huvudteman‌ ‌som‌ ‌beskrev‌ ‌respondenternas‌ ‌upplevelse‌ ‌ av‌ ‌fenomenet.‌ ‌Dessa‌ ‌var:‌ ‌‌arbetslivserfarenhet‌ ‌och‌ ‌utbildning,‌ ‌krav‌ ‌och‌ ‌förväntningar,‌ ‌ oroskänslor‌ ‌och‌ ‌konsekvenser‌ ‌‌samt‌ ‌‌stödets‌ ‌betydelse.‌‌ ‌Resultatet‌ ‌visade‌ ‌att‌ ‌samtliga‌ ‌ respondenter‌ ‌upplevde‌ ‌impostor‌ ‌phenomenon‌ ‌i‌ ‌sin‌ ‌yrkesroll.‌ ‌Respondenternas‌ ‌omfattning‌ ‌ utav‌ ‌upplevelsen‌ ‌av‌ ‌impostor‌ ‌phenomenon‌‌ ‌‌kunde‌ ‌påverkas‌ ‌av‌ ‌ett‌ ‌flertal‌ ‌faktorer‌ ‌som‌ ‌kravet‌ ‌ från‌ ‌överordnade‌ ‌chefer,‌ ‌stödet‌ ‌från‌ ‌chefer‌ ‌och‌ ‌kollegor‌ ‌samt‌ ‌utbildning‌ ‌och‌ ‌ arbetslivserfarenheter.‌‌ ‌‌Resultatet‌ ‌visade‌ ‌vidare‌ ‌att‌ ‌frekventa‌ ‌upplevelser‌ ‌av‌ ‌fenomenet‌ ‌kunde‌ ‌ generera‌ ‌negativa‌ ‌konsekvenser‌ ‌men‌ ‌i‌ ‌de‌ ‌fall‌ ‌då‌ ‌upplevelserna‌ ‌var‌ ‌i‌ ‌lägre‌ ‌omfattning‌ ‌bidrog‌ ‌ det‌ ‌till‌ ‌en‌ ‌positiv‌ ‌individuell‌ ‌utveckling.‌ ‌ ‌

There is a lack of literature that has investigated the relationships between stereotype threat, impostor phenomenon, and other related constructs on career development, particularly for women in STEM. While various resources (National Science Foundation, 2013; Sax, Kanny, Jacobs, Whang, Weintraub, & Hroch, 2016; US Department of Labor, 2014) have highlighted the gender gap and “leaky pipeline” in STEM, it is important to further investigate and understand why these phenomena occur and continue to persist. In this study, I used a mixed methods approach which used a quantitative SEM analyses and qualitative interview to further examine the paths between chilly climate, impostor phenomenon, stereotype threat, science self-efficacy, fear of failure, fear of success, academic major satisfaction, and persistence in STEM in a sample of undergraduate females. Several hypotheses were formed in order to better understand the mediation effects of these variables upon one another. Stereotype threat was found to be endorsed at a lesser rate than anticipated, while impostor phenomenon was endorsed at a higher rate. Science self-efficacy was also found to play an important role in the predicted relationships among variables, relating to both academic major satisfaction and persistence. These quantitative results were supported by data gathered in qualitative interviews. Implications for research and practice around concerns of impostor phenomenon, stereotype threat, and fears of failure and success are discussed.

Bluffenomenet är en inre upplevelse av att känna sig som en bedragare och en rädsla att bli avslöjad som otillräcklig i sociala sammanhang. Personer som upplever bluffenomenet tror sig ha övertygat sin omgivning om att de besitter mer kunskap och mer kompetens än de verkligen har och känner en rädsla för att deras brist på förmåga ska avslöjas av omgivningen. Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka på vilket sätt och i vilka sammanhang bluffenomenet påverkar socionomen i sin professionella yrkesroll i socialt arbete. Uppsatsens syfte har undersökts genom fyra intervjuer med yrkesverksamma socionomer genom en metodtriangulering där en kvantitativ enkät kombinerades med kvalitativa djupintervjuer. Innehållet i uppsatsen har utgångspunkt i symbolisk interaktionism som vetenskapsteoretisk tradition och den insamlade datan har analyserats utifrån teoretiska begrepp bestående av Bluffenomenet och Yrkesroll samt ett teoretiskt perspektiv i form av det dramaturgiska perspektivet. Uppsatsens huvudsakliga resultat visar att bluffenomenet framförallt uppkommer hos socionomer som är nya i sin yrkesroll eller befinner sig i ett nytt sammanhang arbetsmässigt. Bluffenomenet påverkar informanternas yrkesroll genom att arbetsuppgifter skjuts upp, osäkerhet gentemot klienter och en ödmjukhet inför den egna prestationen i arbetet. Uppsatsens diskussion lyfter bland annat komplexiteten i socionomens yrkesroll i form av andras och egna förväntningar. Uppsatsen kan genom de upplevelser som informanterna delat med sig av användas för att sprida kunskap om bluffenomenets uppkomst och sammanhang hos yrkesverksamma socionomer. / The impostor phenomenon is an inner experience of feeling like a fraud and a fear of being revealed as inadequate in social contexts. People who experience the impostor phenomenon believe they have convinced their surroundings to possess more knowledge and more skills than they really have and fear that their lack of ability will be revealed by the environment. The purpose of the essay was to investigate in what way and in what context the impostor phenomenon affects the social worker in its profession in social work. The purpose of the essay has been answered through four interviews with professional social workers in the form of a method triangulation where a quantitative form was combined with qualitative deep interviews. The content of the essay has been interpreted by symbolic interactionism as a science-theoretic tradition, and the collected data has been analyzed from the theoretical concepts consisting of Impostor phenomenon and Profession and a theoretical perspective in the form of the dramaturgical perspective. The main findings of the essay show that the impostor phenomenon occurs primarily in social workers who are new in their occupational role or in a new context in work. The impostor phenomenon affects the informants in their profession in the way by postponing some duties, insecurity in client meetings and humility for their own performance at work. The discussion discusses the complexity of social workers professional role in the form of others and their own expectations. Through the experiences that the informants shared, the essay can be used to disseminate knowledge about the conception of the impostor phenomenon and context in professional social workers.

The purpose of this sequential mixed-methods study was to explore the feelings, thoughts, critical incidents, and coping mechanisms of female high school principals and their experiences with the impostor phenomenon. A hierarchical multiple regression revealed that none of the demographic factors such as number of years as a head high school principal, age, percentage of female high school principals in the district, race/ethnicity, marital status, mentorship status, and community type, were statistically significant predictors of the varying levels of the impostor phenomenon. Eighteen female principals who represented an array of backgrounds and impostor phenomenon experiences were subsequently interviewed. The interviews were evaluated using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Seven themes, including several subthemes, emerged from the data. The themes were (1) childhood socialization, including the subthemes of gender roles, familial support, and early experiences of exclusion; (2) transitional uncertainty, including hiring self-doubt, school politics, and pressure to turn around a school; (3) the principalship, including relational leadership, constant pressure, and loneliness of the position; (4) critical incidents of the impostor phenomenon, including the subthemes of lack of experience, external criticism, and self-doubt; (5) gender issues, including a male dominated position, emotional capacity, and physical appearance, (6) coping strategies for the impostor phenomenon, including mentorship and peer support, family support, and self-talk; and (7) combating the impostor phenomenon, including proven success, dismissing criticism through confidence, overcoming controversy and religion or spirituality. The results of this study suggest that mentorship, role models, familial support, and developing self-confidence can help alleviate the negative effects of the impostor phenomenon. It is recommended that educational leadership preparation programs educate students about the impostor phenomenon in an effort to normalize how they view themselves at various transitional phases of their career while offering supports to help them combat potential feelings of self-doubt that may arise as they progress through their careers.

The purpose of this qualitative research was to acknowledge the gap in literature concerning the relationship between female leadership in a Swedish context with impostor syndrome. The focus was on analyzing whether impostor syndrome has an impact on the career progression of female leaders and how organizations can either exacerbate or mitigate the effects of suffering from impostor syndrome in the workplace.  In order to reach a conclusion aligned with the purpose and to respond to the conducted research questions, six semi-structured interviews were conducted with women in different leadership positions, operating within different companies and industries in Sweden. The interviews along with the theoretical framework allowed the authors to perform a thematic analysis in order to structure and analyze the gathered information.  The empirical data that was collected provided sufficient evidence for the authors to draw conclusions with regards to the posed research questions. It was concluded that impostor syndrome is a phenomenon that was frequently experienced among the female leaders, which could be confirmed in the literature. It could also be concluded that this was not a factor that had hindered them in their career progression. Moreover, the organizational support systems could be concluded to have a great impact in how the effects of impostor syndrome could be mitigated or further exacerbated.