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Self-compassion and the impostor phenomenon: Associations and implications
Kristýna Krejčová1, Lucie Kvasničková Stanislavská1, Fabio Ibrahim2
1Department of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
Plos One
|May 27, 2026
Summary
University students experiencing impostor phenomenon often struggle with self-doubt and fear of failure. Findings suggest negative self-compassion dimensions, like isolation and overidentification, are strongly linked to impostor feelings.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Impostor phenomenon is characterized by persistent self-doubt and fear of failure, despite evidence of success.
- University students represent a demographic often experiencing significant academic and personal stress, potentially exacerbating impostor feelings and impacting self-efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between impostor phenomenon and self-compassion in a sample of Czech university students.
- To investigate the specific dimensions of self-compassion that correlate with and predict impostor phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 601 Czech university students (368 women).
- Utilized the Impostor-Profile 30 and Self-Compassion Scale to measure constructs.
- Employed correlation analysis, regression analysis, and structural equation modelling to analyze relationships.
Main Results:
- Competence doubt, a dimension of impostor phenomenon, showed moderate associations with isolation and overidentification.
- Regression analysis confirmed isolation and overidentification as significant predictors of competence doubt.
- Structural equation modelling indicated stronger relationships between negative self-compassion dimensions and impostor phenomenon compared to positive dimensions like self-kindness.
Conclusions:
- The findings underscore the critical role of negative self-compassion, particularly feelings of isolation and overidentification, in the manifestation of impostor phenomenon among university students.
- Interventions aimed at mitigating impostor phenomenon should consider addressing these specific self-compassion deficits, especially in student populations prone to stress and low self-efficacy.
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