The Prevalence of Impostor Phenomenon Among Music Student Teachers: A Mixed Methods Approach

Impostor Phenomenon (IP) is a psychological construct that causes high-achieving individuals to doubt their competence, intelligence, and sense of belonging. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the prevalence of IP among music student teachers and their experiences with the construct. Participants in this study were music student teachers ( N = 173) from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)-accredited institutions across the United States who completed a survey to determine the extent to which they experienced IP. In a follow-up focus group, six participants from the original survey portion discussed their personal experiences with IP. Results indicated that IP was prevalent among music student teachers, with focus group participants expressing feelings of fraudulence, fear of failure, and the need to discuss their experiences with others. Participants also discussed the need to achieve immediate success and expressed an awareness of the relationship between IP feelings and their role as musicians.