Practicing Wellness as a Graduate Student Part 2: Managing Imposter Syndrome

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is an internal experience leading to beliefs and perceptions of being incompetent. According to published articles and sources collected by the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), it is a pattern of thinking or psychological experience in which persistent feelings of self-doubt, negative self-talk, constant fear of failing and of being perceived as a fraud exist. Imposter syndrome is not always present continuously, it could come up when one least expects it. It is important to note that imposter syndrome is not in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and is not an actual diagnosis, it is characterized as a mental state.

Factors Contributing to Adopting Imposter Syndrome:

• Family background and childhood environment

  • Factors such as strict or critical parents/guardians, negative messaging growing up or achievement based familial cultures are a few environmental factors that have the potential to contribute to a person adopting imposter syndrome. Studies find individuals who experienced more critical types of feedback from parents/guardians were more susceptible to adopting imposter syndrome. 

• Minority Groups

  • Minority groups, particularly women, are considered at a higher risk for adopting imposter syndrome. As a member of a marginalized group, women often encounter fewer opportunities to relate to other role models that resemble them in academic settings or in the workforce. Oftentimes, they must work harder to be seen and acknowledged for their hard work than their male colleagues. These are among a few of the experiences that encompass the challenges that are faced from systemic racism and sexism in society.

• Having Existing Mental Health Conditions

  • Imposter syndrome can be a precursor to depression or anxiety, but if there are other pre-existing medical conditions, then the risk of adopting imposter syndrome doubles.

• Personality Traits

  • ​The most common personality trait associated with imposter syndrome is perfectionism. Those with perfectionism may find it hard to ask for help and may procrastinate due to their own high standards. They can become risk avoidant because they are unwilling to make mistakes. 

  • Another personality trait that is also likely predisposed to imposter syndrome is neuroticism.This is linked to higher levels of anxiety, security, tension, and guilt. 

• Experiencing New Challenges

  • ​Those predisposed to adopting imposter syndrome are those who are experiencing new challenges. Being overwhelmed or faced with a new challenge often triggers feelings of self doubt or being undeserving.

Methods to Managing Imposter Syndrome:

• Acknowledge the Thoughts

  • ​Stop fighting these feelings. Acknowledge the feelings of not belonging in order to start unraveling the core beliefs preventing progress. Once the thoughts are acknowledged, it is easier to put treatments into place to move forward.  

• Question the Thoughts

  • ​Determine whether the thoughts are rational or perceived. Is there a strong basis behind these thoughts or are they a consequence of anxiety and overthinking? It is unfair for a person to devalue their accomplishments and hard work with no strong basis behind their doubts. 

• Speak Out

  • Don’t stay silent about these concerns. Talk to a trustworthy friend, family member or professional for guidance on how to work through these negative thoughts. It is helpful to hear an outside opinion as it can often debunk one’s own anxious doubt. 

• Use Affirmations

  • ​Use positive self talk. Create more self compassion by using a more uplifting script. Counteract past negative self talk with new and positive dialogue.

• Don't Devalue Accomplishments

  • ​When others give praise, take it at face value. Don’t question it too much. Questioning feeds into overthinking and negative self-talk.

• Create Realistic Goals

  • Take goals step-by-step. Creating realistic goals helps to validate hard work and eliminate self deprecating thoughts. Engage in rewards once a goal is completed and acknowledge the hard work that was required to complete the task.

• Resiliency Training

  • ​Bring attention to the need for emotional, cognitive, mental, physical and spiritual resilience to help improve one's quality of life and encourage healthier and more sustainable expectations. Resilience training is important for acknowledging and eliminating negative self-talk and learning how to best engage in positive and uplifting actions.

Graduate school is a common place where imposter syndrome can become detrimental to a student's success. It is important to be knowledgeable about imposter syndrome and enact methods to mitigate it in order to remain self-assured, not only in school, but in life. To schedule an appointment with CPPD email cppd@salus.edu or one of the counselors individually. For more information on the counselors and hours visit the Center for Personal and Professional Development page.

Information provided by Dr. Cristina Laracuente-Trzaska, postdoctoral psychology resident, and Dr. Tamara April-Davis, CPPD director.