Prevalence of Impostor Syndrome: Associations with Personality Traits and Social Comparison Among Undergraduate Students of a Medical College of Kolkata

Abstract

Background:
Impostor syndrome (IS) is a persistent internalised fear of being exposed as a fraud despite objective indicators of success. It is common in high-achieving academic settings, particularly among medical students, where it may impair mental health and academic performance.

Objective:
To assess the prevalence of impostor syndrome among medical students and examine its associations with personality traits, social comparison tendencies, and anxiety.

Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 132 MBBS students selected through stratified random sampling. Participants completed validated instruments: the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and Social Comparison Scale (SCS). Descriptive statistics, t-tests, Kruskal-Wallis H tests, Spearman's correlation, and multiple linear regression were conducted using SPSS v29.

Results:
Clinically significant impostor syndrome (CIPS ≥ 61) was present in 46.3% of participants. Neuroticism (r = 0.58) and anxiety (r = 0.52) were positively correlated with IS, while conscientiousness (r = -0.41), extraversion (r = -0.38), and favorable social comparison (r = -0.49) were negatively associated. Regression analysis identified neuroticism, anxiety, and social comparison as significant predictors (R² = 0.526, p < 0.001). Female and senior students reported higher IS levels.

Conclusion:
IS is prevalent among medical students and is strongly linked to neuroticism, anxiety, and negative social comparison. Targeted psychological interventions focusing on emotional regulation and social evaluation may reduce IS-related distress and promote student well-being.