Investigating the association between resilience and impostor syndrome in undergraduate nursing and medical students: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Impostor syndrome is prevalent among undergraduate nursing and medical students. Resilience is the ability to adapt and rebound from challenges, which is crucial for student well-being and academic success. Exploring the connection between impostor syndrome and resilience is essential to support students effectively. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between resilience and impostor syndrome among undergraduate nursing and medical students at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. A total of 300 students were recruited using a convenience sample and completed self-reported questionnaires assessing resilience and impostor syndrome between September 2022 and March 2023. Various bias mitigation strategies were employed to ensure data accuracy and reliability, such as anonymous data collection and validated scales. The results indicated that less than half of the participants experienced impostor syndrome. Among nursing students, 41.7% were classified as severe, 37.7% as moderate, and 13.0% as intense impostors. For medical students, 4.6% were mild, 4.6% moderate, 4.5% severe, and 4.5% intense impostors. Mean resilience scores were 24.3 ± 7.15 for nursing students and 25.6 ± 7.22 for medical students. A significant negative correlation was found between resilience and impostor syndrome scores (r = -0.220, P < .001). Regression analysis indicated that resilience significantly predicted impostor syndrome, with higher resilience associated with lower levels of impostor syndrome. These findings highlight the importance of resilience in mitigating impostor syndrome among nursing and medical students. Building resilience through interventions may be beneficial in promoting student well-being and academic success. Future research should explore the effectiveness of such interventions and identify other factors contributing to impostor syndrome among healthcare students.