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<p>Psychologists possess extensive expertise in psychological theory and therapeutic practice; however, such expertise does not render them immune to psychological challenges, and they may experience difficulties related to their own mental health. One phenomenon that has gained increasing attention in explaining these internal struggles is impostor syndrome, which refers to persistent feelings of being a fraud within a specific group, accompanied by an intense fear of exposure despite objective evidence of competence and achievement. Although its adverse consequences are well documented, impostor syndrome among psychology students, who are future mental healthcare providers, remains underexplored. Emerging evidence suggests that self-as-context, fixed mindset, growth mindset, and intolerance of uncertainty may be associated with impostor experiences; however, their associations among undergraduate psychology students are not well established. Therefore, the present pilot study examined the levels of impostor syndrome and its associated factors among undergraduate psychology students in Malaysia and China. A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 446 participants recruited from four universities using a Most-Different Systems Design (MDSD). Data were collected via an online self-administered survey comprising a demographic questionnaire, the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale, the Self-as-Context Scale, the Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine levels of impostor syndrome, followed by multiple linear regression analyses to investigate the associations between self-as-context, fixed mindset, growth mindset, intolerance of uncertainty, and impostor syndrome. The results indicated that undergraduate psychology students generally experienced frequent levels of impostor syndrome across gender, year of study, and country. Self-as-context and intolerance of uncertainty were significantly associated with impostor syndrome. Overall, these pilot findings provide preliminary empirical evidence on impostor syndrome and its associated factors among undergraduate psychology students. They also offer an empirical foundation for future large-scale studies and may inform subsequent intervention research related to impostor experiences in this population.</p>

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Impostor syndrome and associated factors among undergraduate psychology students: a pilot study conducted in Malaysia and China

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月8日

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  • Chen Chen Cheong,
  • Kah Heng Chua,
  • Boon Tao Chew,
  • Zhen Yu,
  • Chan Choong Foong

摘要

Psychologists possess extensive expertise in psychological theory and therapeutic practice; however, such expertise does not render them immune to psychological challenges, and they may experience difficulties related to their own mental health. One phenomenon that has gained increasing attention in explaining these internal struggles is impostor syndrome, which refers to persistent feelings of being a fraud within a specific group, accompanied by an intense fear of exposure despite objective evidence of competence and achievement. Although its adverse consequences are well documented, impostor syndrome among psychology students, who are future mental healthcare providers, remains underexplored. Emerging evidence suggests that self-as-context, fixed mindset, growth mindset, and intolerance of uncertainty may be associated with impostor experiences; however, their associations among undergraduate psychology students are not well established. Therefore, the present pilot study examined the levels of impostor syndrome and its associated factors among undergraduate psychology students in Malaysia and China. A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 446 participants recruited from four universities using a Most-Different Systems Design (MDSD). Data were collected via an online self-administered survey comprising a demographic questionnaire, the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale, the Self-as-Context Scale, the Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine levels of impostor syndrome, followed by multiple linear regression analyses to investigate the associations between self-as-context, fixed mindset, growth mindset, intolerance of uncertainty, and impostor syndrome. The results indicated that undergraduate psychology students generally experienced frequent levels of impostor syndrome across gender, year of study, and country. Self-as-context and intolerance of uncertainty were significantly associated with impostor syndrome. Overall, these pilot findings provide preliminary empirical evidence on impostor syndrome and its associated factors among undergraduate psychology students. They also offer an empirical foundation for future large-scale studies and may inform subsequent intervention research related to impostor experiences in this population.