This book offers a scientific investigation into the impostor phenomenon, a concept that has long been misunderstood in popular culture. Much of the conventional wisdom about the impostor phenomenon is driven by intuitive, common-sense based recommendations about how to cope with and conquer impostor feelings. Unfortunately, much of this discourse is neither rooted in nor informed by empirical research. There are many important theoretical and methodological questions regarding the impostor phenomenon that remain unanswered, such as whether the impostor phenomenon is a personality trait at the core of one's identity, or merely a predisposition triggered by circumstances or fears of being evaluated. This book describes the theoretical underpinnings of the impostor phenomenon along with common measurement issues, implications for mental health and achievement, its relative prevalence among various population groups, and practical applications of the concept in psychotherapy and mental health treatment more broadly.
Kevin Cokley, PhD, is the University Diversity and Social Transformation professor and professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, where he serves as Associate Chair of Diversity Initiatives for the Department of Psychology. He studies the psychosocial experiences of African American students and students of color and is currently exploring the impostor phenomenon and its relationship to mental health and academic outcomes. He is the author of the 2014 book The Myth of Black Anti-Intellectualism and editor of the 2021 book Making Black Lives Matter: Confronting Anti-Black Racism. Visit www.kevincokley.com and follow @KevinCokley1.
Acknowledgments Contributors Introduction Kevin Cokley Part I: Conceptual, Theoretical, and Methodological Foundations Chapter 1. Impostor Phenomenon: Origins and Treatment Pauline Clance and Suzann Lawry Chapter 2. An Overview of the Impostor Phenomenon: Definitional and Theoretical Considerations Kevin Cokley, Keoshia Harris, Shaina Hall, and Myya Singletary Chapter 3. The Impostor Phenomenon and Mental Health Ramya Garba, Carly Coleman, and Tia Kelley Chapter 4. Impostor Syndrome and Burnout Lizette Ojeda Chapter 5. The Impostor Phenomenon's Relation to Achievement at School and Work Lauren Blondeau Chapter 6. Measurement Issues Related to the Impostor Phenomenon Hwa Young Lee, Cheryl Anderson, Kevin Cokley, and Shine Change Part II: Populations and Context Chapter 7. Gender and the Impostor Phenomenon Kadie Rackley, Taylor Payne, Ashley Bennet, and Germine Awad Chapter 8. Racism and the Impostor Phenomenon among African American Students: A Socio-Ecological Analysis Donte Bernard Chapter 9. A Mixed Methods Study of Impostor Phenomenon in a Hispanic Serving Institution Olympia Caudillo and Rodolfo Rincones Chapter 10. Impostor Phenomenon in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Devasmita Chakraverty Chapter 11. Impostor Phenomenon in Medicine Devasmita Chakraverty Part III: Interventions and Trends Chapter 12. Critical Issues of the Impostor Phenomenon and Interventions for Historically Marginalized People Lisa Orbe-Austin and Richard Orbe-Austin Chapter 13. An Evolving Analysis of Impostor Syndrome from 1983 to the Present: Implications for Clinicians and Researchers Valerie Young Chapter 14. Research-based Strategies for Combatting the Impostor Phenomenon in Higher Education Danielle Rosenscruggs and Laura Schram Chapter 15. Trends Within the Impostor Phenomenon Literature Steven Stone-Sabali About the Editor Index
