The Relationship Between Racial Discrimination, Self-Efficacy, and Imposter Syndrome Among Black Counseling Students

Black American counseling students encounter a diverse set of experiences that create dissimilarities in their academic process and academic perception than their non-Black peers. The purpose of this quantitative analysis study was to determine if there is a predictive relationship between racial discrimination, self-efficacy, and imposter syndrome among Black counseling students. The theoretical framework employed for this study was attribution theory, which focuses on causality. Three surveys were utilized to collect data from anonymous participants: Daily Life Experience Scale, Counselor Self-Efficacy Scale , and the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale . To be eligible for participation in the study, participants were required to be currently enrolled in a counseling program and to self-identify as Black. Correlational analysis was used to examine the degree of relationship between racial discrimination, self-efficacy, and imposter syndrome among Black counseling students; specifically. Data analyses methods included multiple linear regressions and simple linear regressions (n=103). Results indicated that there was not a statistically significant relationship between racial discrimination, self-efficacy, and imposter syndrome specifically among Black counseling students. The results also revealed that racial discrimination and self-efficacy were not statistically significant predictors of imposter syndrome. Further research is recommended to explore additional variables that may predict imposter syndrome among Black counseling students, as well as examine strategies to provide supportive curriculum to support those students who experience imposter syndrome. This study can aid the counseling profession by developing curriculum and methods of teaching to enhance the experiences of Black counseling students.