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Zoia C, Stienen MN, Zaed I, Menna G, Aldea CC, Bartek J, Bauer M, Belo D, Drosos E, Freyschlag CF, Kaprovoy S, Lepic M, Lippa L, Mohme M, Motov S, Schwake M, Spiriev T, Stengel FC, Torregrossa F, Raffa G, Gandía-Gonzalez ML. The prevalence of imposter syndrome among neurosurgeons in Europe: An EANS YNC survey. Brain Spine 2024; 4:102816. [PMID: 38666069 PMCID: PMC11043838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bas.2024.102816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Imposter syndrome (IS), characterized by persistent doubts about one's abilities and fear of exposure as a fraud, is a prevalent psychological condition, particularly impacting physicians. In neurosurgery, known for its competitiveness and demands, the prevalence of IS remains high. Research question Recognizing the limited literature on IS within the neurosurgical community, this European survey aimed to determine its prevalence among young neurosurgeons and identify associated factors. Material and methods The survey, conducted by the Young Neurosurgeon Committee of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies, gathered responses from 232 participants. The survey included demographics, the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Survey (CIPS), and an analysis of potential compensatory mechanisms. Results Nearly 94% of respondents exhibited signs of IS, with the majority experiencing moderate (36.21%) or frequent (40.52%) symptoms. Analyses revealed associations between IS and factors such as level of experience, sex, and board-certification. Discussion and conclusion The findings suggest a significant prevalence of IS among young neurosurgeons, with notable associations with sex and level of experience. Compensatory mechanisms, such as working hours, article reading, and participation in events, did not show significant correlations with IS. Notably, male sex emerged as an independent protective factor against frequent/intense IS, while reading more than five articles per week was identified as a risk factor. The identification of protective and risk factors, particularly the influence of gender and reading habits, contributes valuable insights for developing targeted interventions to mitigate IS and improve the well-being of neurosurgeons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesare Zoia
- Neurosurgery Unit, Ospedale Moriggia Pelascini, Gravedona e Uniti, Italy
| | - Martin N. Stienen
- Department of Neurosurgery and Spine Center of Eastern Switzerland, Cantonal Hospital, St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Ismail Zaed
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurocenter of the Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Grazia Menna
- Department of Neurosurgery, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina C. Aldea
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cluj County Emergency Hospital, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iuliu Hatieganu, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Jiri Bartek
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden & Department of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marlies Bauer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Diogo Belo
- Neurosurgery Department, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte (CHLN), Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | | | - Stanislav Kaprovoy
- Burdenko Neurosurgical Center, Department of Spinal and Peripheral Nerve Surgery, Department of International Affairs, Moscow, Russia
| | - Milan Lepic
- Clinic for Neurosurgery, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Laura Lippa
- Department of Neurosurgery, ASST Ospedale Niguarda, Milano, Italy
| | - Malte Mohme
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Motov
- Department of Neurosurgery and Spine Center of Eastern Switzerland, Cantonal Hospital, St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Michael Schwake
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Muenster, Germany
| | - Toma Spiriev
- Department of Neurosurgery, Acibadem CityClinic University Hospital Tokuda, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Felix C. Stengel
- Department of Neurosurgery and Spine Center of Eastern Switzerland, Cantonal Hospital, St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Torregrossa
- Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic Rhoton Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology Surgical Anatomy Program, Rochester, MN, USA
- Neurosurgical Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Raffa
- Division of Neurosurgery, BIOMORF Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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