The impostor phenomenon among doctoral students: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Higher Education Studies

Background:

• The Impostor Phenomenon (IP) is a recognized issue affecting doctoral students worldwide.
• Existing research indicates IP negatively impacts academic advancement and psychological well-being.
• A comprehensive understanding of IP within this specific demographic remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of empirical studies on the Impostor Phenomenon among doctoral students.
• To clarify the current landscape and reality of IP experienced by doctoral candidates.
• To identify key characteristics, contributing factors, mental health correlations, and measurement tools for IP in this population.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature searches were performed across five major databases (Springer, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, JSTOR).
• Empirical studies published between 1978 and 2023 were included.
• A rigorous review process involving two independent reviewers and a third for disagreements ensured data quality.

Main Results:

• Thirty empirical studies were included in the review.
• The research covered four domains: characteristics of IP, contributing factors, correlation with mental illness, and IP measurement.
• Findings provide a synthesized overview of the Impostor Phenomenon in doctoral students.

Conclusions:

• This scoping review enhances the understanding of the Impostor Phenomenon among doctoral students.
• The findings establish a foundation for future research and targeted interventions.
• Addressing IP is crucial for supporting doctoral students' academic and psychological well-being.