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A Culturally Informed Model of the Development of the Impostor Phenomenon Among African American Youth

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Abstract

The impostor phenomenon, or feelings of intellectual incompetence among high achieving individuals, represents a maladaptive set of cognitions that can hamper positive psychological adjustment. Burgeoning research indicates that cognitions of impostor phenomenon are particularly salient among African American emerging adults. Despite the accumulating evidence to suggest the relevance of impostor phenomenon among African Americans, the factors and processes that influence the development of this construct remain unclear. The dearth of scholarship elucidating the antecedents to feelings of impostor phenomenon among African Americans is particularly striking when considering that impostor phenomenon may stem from experiences and messages youth receive during childhood and adolescence. Anchored within theories of adolescent development, this review proposes a culturally informed framework that (a) summarizes and critically evaluates literature regarding the developmental underpinnings of impostor phenomenon, (b) postulates possible pathways by which feelings of intellectual incompetence may develop among African American adolescents, and (c) provides future directions for research related to exploring feelings of impostor phenomenon among African American adolescents. The proposed framework provides a promising framework that expounds the complex underlying mechanisms that give rise to impostor phenomenon among African American youth, and provides recommendations for future research.

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  1. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 243E Davie Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Donte Bernard & Enrique Neblett

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  1. Donte Bernard
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The first author, DLB drafted the manuscript and designed the model. EWN assisted in revising the manuscript and refining the proposed model. Both authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Donte Bernard.

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant no. DGE-1650116. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Bernard, D., Neblett, E. A Culturally Informed Model of the Development of the Impostor Phenomenon Among African American Youth. Adolescent Res Rev 3, 279–300 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-017-0073-0

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