Imposter Feelings and Mental Health Among Minority College Students
2017
This study in the Journal of Counseling Psychology examines how imposter feelings—where an individual finds it difficult to internalize their achievements—influence the relationship between discrimination and mental health among 300 racial and ethnic minority college students. Findings showed that experiences of discrimination predicted higher levels of imposterism, which in turn predicted poorer mental health for African American, Latino, and Asian American students. Overall, however, imposter feelings were found to be a stronger predictor for mental health than discrimination for only African Americans and Latinos. Additionally, among African Americans, the association between discrimination and mental health was larger for those who reported high levels of imposter feelings compared to those with lower levels. The authors conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for university counseling services, focusing particularly on providing effective services that address issues of imposterism and perceived discrimination experienced by racial and ethnic minority students.
Imposter Feelings and Mental Health Among Minority College Students
Source:
Cokley K et al. Impostor Feelings as a Moderator and Mediator of the Relationship Between Perceived Discrimination and Mental Health Among Racial/Ethnic Minority College Students. Journal of Counseling Psychology 2017; 64(2): 141-154. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cou0000198.