The facets of an impostor – development and validation of the impostor-profile (IPP31) for measuring impostor phenomenon

A Concise Measure of the Impostor Phenomenon: The Brief Impostor Phenomenon Scale (BIPS)

The aim of the study was to introduce a concise measure for assessing the impostor phenomenon. We reduced the Perceived Fraudulence Scale (PFS) in a sample of 1,001 Polish-speaking adults through the use of exploratory (n = 500) and confirmatory (n = 501) factor analysis to 12 items, composed of three subscales: self-deprecation, external ability attribution, and inauthenticity. This brief scale showed scalar measurement invariance between men and women, and between students and working professionals. Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses further supported individual items' properties. The measure also demonstrated good internal consistency and validity. Impostor phenomenon correlated negatively with self-esteem, emotional stability (i.e., low neuroticism), extraversion, conscientiousness, and intellect (i.e., openness to experience). In addition, women scored higher than men on overall impostor phenomenon which was driven only by the self-deprecation aspect. Students scored higher than working professionals on both the general score and all three subscales. The initial psychometric properties suggest that the Brief Impostor Phenomenon Scale (BIPS) is a valid and reliable short measure, supporting its further use in research. These results also add to the currently underdeveloped body of research on the impostor phenomenon in a non-English speaking cultural setting.

Impostor phenomenon short scale (IPSS-3): a novel measure to capture impostor feelings in large-scale and longitudinal surveys

The Imposter Phenomenon (IP) is gaining increasing attention in academia, not only as an overall attractive research topic but also as a concern that especially affects members of minority groups. Nevertheless, there is little evidence for the occurrence and socio-structural correlates of the IP. Against the backdrop of a pressing need to contextualize the IP, this paper provides (1) an overview of the existing empirical evidence on the IP from a perspective that incorporates the role of social contexts, (2) highlights shortcomings in both existing theoretical approaches and methodological tools, (3) introduces the Impostor Phenomenon Short Scale (IPSS-3) as a novel, time-efficient and universally applicable IP measure, and (4) underscores that the IP, in fact, does not occur in a social vacuum but is closely intertwined with socio-structural characteristics. To this end, the paper draws on three distinct data sets gathered among German adolescents and adults for the development of the IPSS-3 (Study 1: n = 271), its validation (Study 2: n = 427), and to assess the IP's socio-structural correlates (Study 3: n = 865). The findings demonstrate that the IPSS-3 represents the first time-efficient and universally applicable instrument suitable for capturing the IP in large-scale and longitudinal research designs, e.g., initiated in adolescence. Thus, the IPSS-3 can address key open questions related to age effects, the role of transitions in the life course, and systematic variations in IP intensity among different social groups.

Feeling phony online - The impostor phenomenon's link to online self-presentation, self-esteem, and social network site use

This study examined the relationship between the impostor phenomenon, self-esteem, online self-presentation, and social network site usage across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Tinder. The sample consisted of n = 541 individuals (46 % men; Mage = 27, SDage = 8.5). In addition to demographics, quantitative social network site use metrics, and self-esteem, the impostor expression emerged as an incremental predictor for the online self-presentation facets adaptable self (β = 0.26, p < .001), authentic self (β = -0.29, p < .001) and freedom of self online (β = 0.25, p < .001). Self-esteem partially mediated the impostor expression's effect on the authentic self. Findings suggest that a high impostor expression links to lower online authenticity, higher online self-adaption, and a preference for online communication and self-presentation.

Evaluating the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Impostor Profile scale (IPP30)

The Impostor Profile scale (IPP30) is a recently developed tool designed to delve into the nuanced aspects of the Impostor Phenomenon (IP), a psychological phenomenon where individuals wrongly attribute their successes to external factors, discounting their own abilities and often feeling like frauds. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties, including factor structure, internal consistency, and nomological validity, of the Swedish version of IPP30 (S-IPP30). In a sample of Swedish students (N = 1,010; 76.7% women; Mage = 25.65, SDage = 6.43), Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were conducted to scrutinize S-IPP30's structure. The analyses supported a bifactor model with six specific factors and one overarching factor. However, two items in the scale displayed poor alignment with their intended subscales, adversely affecting the internal consistency of the two subscales. Consequently, a rephrasing of these items was suggested. The remaining four S-IPP30 subscales exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.76-0.90, McDonald's ω = 0.77-0.91). Convergent validity was confirmed by largely replicating correlations among various S-IPP30 facets, the unidimensional IP measure, personality variables, and self-esteem, thereby accomplishing the goal of validating S-IPP30. This proposed modification of the two items requires further validation using a new sample to ensure its appropriateness and effectiveness in measuring the intended constructs.

The impostor phenomenon in the eye of knowledgeable others: the association of the impostor phenomenon with the judge's accuracy

This study examines whether a heightened impostor expression is associated with a judge's assessment. The sample comprised n = 155 triads (target, mother, and a friend). Results indicated a slightly higher profile agreement between the target and mother (rraw = 0.47; rdistinct = 0.33) than a friend (rraw = 0.41; rdistinct = 0.23). The profile agreement was inversely correlated with the IPP total score, Competence Doubt, Alienation, and Other-Self Divergence (r = ≤ -0.29, p < 0.001), indicating reduced accuracy among judges when confronted with a heightened impostor expression. However, these relationships disappear once controlling for stereotype effects. Overall, this study reveals a negative association between the impostor expression and the other-self agreement, supporting the biasing self-presentation of impostors in the eye of others.

An experimental study of the non-self-serving attributional bias within the impostor phenomenon and its relation to the fixed mindset

The Impostor Phenomenon describes people characterized by a non-self-serving attributional bias towards success. In this experimental between-subjects design, we conducted a bogus intelligence test in which each subject was assigned to a positive or negative feedback condition. Our sample consisted of N = 170 individuals (51% female). The results showed that the impostor expression moderates the influence of feedback on locus of causality and stability attribution. ‘Impostors’ show an external-instable attributional style regarding success and an internal-stable attributional style regarding failure. Therefore, the relationship between the impostor expression and its characteristic attribution patterns could be experimentally validated for the first time. In addition, we investigated whether the IP is linked to the performance-related construct mindset. We found a positive correlation between the IP and fixed mindset. Possible causes for these findings are discussed.

Measuring impostor phenomenon in healthcare simulation educators: a validation of the clance impostor phenomenon scale and leary impostorism scale

BACKGROUND

Impostor phenomenon is a term used to describe feelings of intellectual and professional fraudulence. The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and the Leary Impostorism Scale are two self-report measures used to determine whether an individual experiences impostor phenomenon. This study examined the psychometric properties of both measures in healthcare simulation educators.

METHODS

The study sample comprised 148 educators, 114 (77%) females, 34 (23%) males, who completed an online version of each instrument. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and the Leary Impostorism Scale.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis revealed that for both instruments a one-factor solution best fit the data, suggesting all items in both measures fit onto a single theoretical construct. Both instruments demonstrated high internal reliability, with the Cronbach's alpha for the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale being α = .96 and the Leary Impostorism Scale α = .95.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that impostor phenomenon as measured by the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and the Leary Impostorism Scale is a unidimensional construct among healthcare simulation educators. With a growing interest in impostor phenomenon, the present findings will assist researchers to evaluate the phenomenon in healthcare settings.

Examining the Impostor-Profile-Is There a General Impostor Characteristic?

The Impostor-Profile (IPP) is a six-dimensional questionnaire measuring the Impostor Phenomenon facets. This study aims to test (a) the appropriateness of a total score, (b) measurement invariance (MI) between gender, (c) the reliability of the IPP, and (d) the convergent validity of the IPP subscales. The sample consisted of N = 482 individuals (64% female). To identify whether the scales of the IPP form a total score, we compared four models: (1) six correlating subscales, (2) a general factor model, (3) a second-order model with one second-order factor and six first-order factors, and (4) a bifactorial model with six group factors. The bifactorial model obtained the best fit. This supports the assumption of a total impostor score. The inspection of structural validity between gender subgroups showed configural, metric, and partial scalar MI. Factor mean comparisons supported the assumption that females and males differ in latent means of the Impostor Phenomenon expressions. The omega coefficients showed sufficient reliability (≥0.71), except for the subscale Need for Sympathy. Overall, the findings of the bifactor model fit and construct validity support the assumption that the measurement through total expression is meaningful in addition to the theoretically formulated multidimensionality of the Impostor Phenomenon.