Imposter Syndrome: Clance and Imes in 1978 to Tewfik's Workplace Upside

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Psychologists Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes coined the term imposter phenomenon in 1978, basing their model on clinical observation and initially believing it mainly affected high-achieving women. The episode describes it as a socio-cognitive disconnect in which people credit success to luck or timing rather than ability, and notes it is not listed in the DSM-5 or ICD-11. Modern research finds men and women experience it at roughly equal rates, with stigma long hiding male cases. Rates are high among clinical psychology doctoral students, medical trainees and ethnic minority college students, and the idea of imposterization shifts some blame to exclusionary institutions.

A 2025 University of Idaho study linked imposter feelings to self-critical perfectionism but not narcissistic perfectionism, and the 2023 Imposter Phenomenon Assessment measures doubts about achievement, perceived discrepancy and self-handicapping. Organizational psychologist Basima Tewfik reframed the subject as workplace imposter thoughts and found that people who have them tend to be more interpersonally effective without performing worse. Data around 2026 found that under heavy role overload these employees put in more effort and later performed better.

• One study found 88 percent of clinical psychology doctoral students reported at least moderate imposter characteristics, and up to 62 percent of physicians and trainees report it.
• Self-handicapping, such as starting a project late at night before a deadline, gives people an excuse other than lack of ability if they fail.
• Medical students with imposter thoughts did not misdiagnose more often but spent more time listening to patients and consulting nurses.
• Clance and Imes's original intervention was group therapy, where participants learned others shared the same feelings.
• Other approaches covered include cognitive reframing, keeping a physical record of accomplishments and helping colleagues reject their own imposter beliefs.