Relationship between Self-Esteem and Impostor Syndrome among Undergraduate Medical Students in a Nigerian University

Abstract

Most medical educators, patients, caregivers, health team members and stakeholders would prefer a medical practitioner and /or a future doctor that has high self-esteem and low impostor scores. This cross-sectional descriptive study among the medical students of Imo State University, Nigeria, was under taken to assess the relationship between self-esteem and impostor phenomenon. Two hundred students participated in this study. Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale and Clance Impostor Phenomenon scale were the research instruments used to measure self-esteem and impostor syndrome respectively. The results showed that self-esteem correlated significantly and positively with age (r =.274, p = 0.001) and marital status (r = .174, p = 0.05) and negatively with impostor syndrome (r = -.649, p = 0.001). Impostor syndrome correlated negatively and significantly with age (r = -.301, p= 0.001), marital status (r= -.203, p= 0.001) and self-esteem(r= -.649, p = 0.001). Majority of the students (63.5%) had high self-esteem and low impostor (54.5%) scores. Married students had high self-esteem and low impostor scores compared to their single peers (p<0.05). Prevalence of marriage among the medical students was low (12%). Statistically significant difference was noted in the age of the males and females (p<0.05). No statistically significant gender differences in the scores for self-esteem and impostor syndrome. In conclusion, the students had high levels of self-esteem and low levels of impostor phenomenon, self-esteem correlated positively and significantly with age and marital status and negatively with impostor syndrome. Marriage rate was low and married students had high levels of self-esteem and low impostor score compared to their single peers. No significant gender differences in self-esteem and impostor syndrome.