Imposter Syndrome can be defined as an individual's belief that his or her successes happen
by chance and that s/he has a persistent belief in herself/himself that s/he has a lack of
talent or intelligence. 1,2
The idea that there are 3 determinants of Imposter syndrome was put forward by Clance
and Imes, who mentioned the concept of Imposter syndrome for the first time (3):
1. The person may have a belief that others have an exaggerated view of his or her abilities.
2. The person may fear that others will reveal their falsity (i.e., that your successes were
discovered by chance).
3. The person may persistently and repetitively attribute their success to external factors
such as luck.
People who experience high levels of imposter syndrome may also experience high levels of
depression, anxiety, fear, doubt, and psychosomatic symptoms. It is known that these
individuals are more introverted, more sensitive to evaluation and have a serious fear of
making mistakes. As a result of the studies, it was found that this situation actually affects
the individual's self-doubt to perform at the highest level. We can interpret this situation as
sabotaging one's self and performance. 4
1. Tiefenthaler, I. (2018). Conquering imposter syndrome. University of Montana
Journal of Early Childhood Scholarship and Innovative Practice, 2(1), 4.
2. Young, V., Ed.D. (2011). The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women Why Capable
People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It. New
York, NY: Crown Business.
3. Mann, S. (2020). İMPOSTER SENDROMU. KURALDIŞI YAYINCILIK EĞİTİM
DANIŞMANLIK LTD ŞTİ.
5. Kananifar, N., Seghatoleslam, T., Atashpour, S. H., Hoseini, M., Habil, M. H. B., &
Danaee, M. (2015). The relationships between imposter phenomenon and mental
health in Isfahan universities students. International Medical Journal, 22(3), 144-146.
