Document Type
Research Paper
Date of Completion
2025
Department
Behavioral Sciences
Faculty Mentor
Usenime Akpanudo
Abstract
Navigating new environments and experiences opens people up to unrelenting self-doubt. The jump from high school to unexplored college territory is a particularly hazardous time for this manifestation. Undergraduate students are notorious for self-doubt and questioning. This self-doubt is known as the impostor phenomenon. The impostor phenomenon, colloquially known as impostor syndrome, is when an otherwise successful person feels like a fraud. A non-probability convenience sampling of 148 students was collected through a survey. The survey included the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale and was distributed to students to determine if there is a difference in impostor phenomenon among first-generation, continuing-generation, or legacy students. This study also analyzes any difference in impostor phenomenon scores with parent education levels, among other variables. There was no relationship between impostor phenomenon and parent education level or generation status found. It was found that women have significantly higher impostor phenomenon scores than men. The findings from this study may provide valuable insights for assisting students during the difficult transition from high school to college.
Recommended Citation
Gootee, A. (2025). Effects of Generation Status and Parent Education Level On Impostor Phenomenon in Undergraduate Students. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.harding.edu/mcnair-research/36
