Imposter phenomenon and depression on a global level: exploring professional identity formation in health professional students

Background and relevance: The imposter phenomenon (IP) is characterized by high achieving individuals experiencing “chronic feelings of self-doubt, the fear of being discovered as an intellectual fraud, and a perception of being less intelligent or competent than peers.”1 Limited data exist on how feelings of imposter syndrome may affect aspects of one’s mental health. In the current climate of healthcare worker burnout, it is important to consider factors that may predispose individuals pursuing a career in healthcare to mental and emotional disengagement to assist in amelioration. This study aims to investigate the association between the occurrence of the imposter phenomenon and the frequency of depressed mood among students of the health professions on a global scale. Design and Methods: Student members of The Network: Towards Unity for Health responded to the Clance IP Scale and the PHQ-2 questionnaire. The analysis correlates indicators of (1) Region of study; (2) Area of study; (3) Year of study; (4) Preclinical vs. clinical stage of training; (5) Imposter Scale Score; and (6) Depression Score. We used Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests and linear regression to assess statistical significance. Results: More than three-quarters (89%) of respondents hadIP scores indicating moderate imposter feelings. A total of 68% of respondents had a PHQ-2 score indicating higher frequency of depressed mood. We found a significantly positive association between IP and depression scores. Conclusion: It is important to consider imposter syndrome as a potential risk factor for psychological distress among students in healthcare. Early identification is necessary as the presence of IP was shown to have a significantly positive relationship with the frequency of depressed mood. Familiarizing institutions with this relationship allows for early intervention.