Impostor Phenomenon in Health Science Students: Prevalence, Impact, and Intervention

Abstract

University students are experiencing increasingly high levels of psychological distress globally, presenting a significant concern for students as well as universities. Numerous stressors contribute to psychological distress, including impostor phenomenon (IP). The extent, impact and management strategies of IP in university students are less explored in the literature. This study measures the prevalence of IP in graduate health science students, its association with self-efficacy, and evaluates the impact of an educational workshop designed to address it at an Australian university. First, anonymous surveys assessing IP, self-efficacy and demographic information were collected from 115 graduate health science students. Subsequently, a 90-minute workshop on IP awareness and coping strategies was delivered to Master of Clinical Audiology students, with a post-workshop assessment. Our findings showed 77% of graduate health science students had high levels of IP, and students with higher levels of IP had lower levels of self-perceived efficacy. A significant reduction in levels of IP was observed immediately following workshop participation. The findings of this study highlight the pervasiveness of IP among graduate health science students and demonstrate the potential of educational workshops as an effective short-term management strategy.