Prevalence of imposter phenomenon in students and its correlation with burnout syndrome: torn between perfection and exhaustion
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Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the association between Imposter Phenomenon (IP) and demographic variables, examine its correlation with Burnout Syndrome (BOS), and assess the predictive relationships between demographic factors and IP with the three domains of burnout-Depressive Anxiety Syndrome, Depersonalization, and Personal Achievement-among undergraduate students.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Isra University, Hyderabad-Pakistan on 296 undergraduate students. Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory- Student Survey (MBI-SS) were used to measure imposterism and burnout, respectively. The association between IP and demographic variables was assessed using the Chi-square test, while Pearson's correlation evaluated the relationship between IP and BOS. Multivariate regression analysis was employed to predict BOS.
Results: The mean age of participants was 20.75±1.80 years, and 55.74% exhibited IP, with a mean CIPS score of 51.05±19.58. Female gender, urban residence and the medical field of study had a statistically significant association with IP (p<0.05). IP demonstrated a strong positive correlation with Depressive Anxiety Syndrome (r=0.96, p<0.001) and Depersonalization (r=0.92, p<0.001), and a negative correlation with Personal Achievement (r=-0.94, p<0.001). Multivariate regression analysis identified IP, female gender, and the medical field of study as significant predictors of BOS (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Undergraduate students exhibit a remarkably high prevalence of IP which is significantly associated with the female gender, medical field of study, and urban residence. IP is also positively correlated with BOS and is a significant predictor of BOS in undergraduate students. This emphasizes the need for targeted psychological interventions to mitigate its impact on students’ mental well-being.
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