Mindfulness predicts impostorism in trainee psychologists in professional programs

Objective: The impostor phenomenon theoretically emerges early in psychology training, with implications for personal and professional well-being, including development of reflective-practitioner and other competencies, professional identity formation and career longevity. The present study is one of few studies directly examining the impostorism construct among trainee psychologists, and the first to examine the relationship between impostorism and mindfulness. Method: The Leary Impostorism Scale and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form were used to assess impostorism and mindfulness among 231 trainee psychologists enrolled in a Master of School, Professional or Clinical Psychology at an Australian university. Results: Results indicated trainee psychologists experience impostorism. Increased mindfulness was associated with decreased impostorism, but only three of five mindfulness facets uniquely predicted impostorism. Conclusion: Understanding the relationship between key mindfulness mechanisms and impostorism is necessary for training institutions, clinical supervisors and trainee psychologists themselves to inform early intervention within and beyond pedagogical approaches in clinical training.