Do You Suffer From Impostor Syndrome?
In a 1978 paper published in the journal Psychotherapy Theory, Research and Practice, psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes described the "impostor phenomenon," in which a sample of successful women they researched admitted to feeling like "intellectual phonies." For those who have obtained a position of some responsibility only to be plagued with deep self-doubt, the following paragraph from the paper's abstract may resonate:
In the past five years we have worked in individual psychotherapy, theme-centered international groups, and college classes with over 150 highly successful women -- women who have earned PhDs in various specialties, who are respected professionals in their fields, or who are students recognized for their academic excellence. However, despite their earned degrees, scholastic honors, high achievement on standardized tests, praise and professional recognition from colleagues and respected authorities, these women do not experience an internal sense of success. They consider themselves to be "impostors." Women who experience the impostor phenomenon maintain a strong belief that they are not intelligent; in fact they are convinced that they have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise.
Source: Paulineroseclance.com.
Source: Fool.com
