Imposter syndrome refers to the mentality when a person minimises their accomplishments and feels they are a phoney and unworthy recognition. The phrase "impostor syndrome" was initially used by Dr Pauline Clance and Dr Suzanne Imes in their 1978 publication, "The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention".
As clinical psychologists, they saw that many of their very successful clients (mostly women) did not think they were deserving of their achievements. These clients included PhD faculty members, medical students, and undergrads from various universities. Over 150 of the women they dealt with over a five-year period indicated they were concerned that they had been mistakenly allowed into to a graduate programme.
People from marginalised groups often face the unique double impact of imposter syndrome, which occurs when their internal self-doubt is reinforced by external factors such as overt discrimination or a lack of diversity in the staff or leadership.
