ArticleBMC medical education2025
Exploring the association between mindfulness and imposter syndrome in medical students: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC medical education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Time to Address Eating Disorder Risk Among Medical Students.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Association Between Fear of Failure and Impostor Syndrome Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.BMC psychology · 2026Article
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7 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundImposter syndrome (IS) refers to a psychological condition marked by ongoing self-doubt and an underlying fear of being perceived as incompetent, even when there is clear evidence of success. IS is notably prevalent among medical students and is associated with negative outcomes such as profound stress, burnout, and impaired academic performance. Mindfulness, a practice that involves being fully present in the moment, cultivating awareness, and accepting thoughts without judgment, is suggested to reduce feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. However, no study has explored the association between mindfulness and IS among medical students. This study aims to determine the prevalence of IS in medical students and explore its associations with mindfulness and engagement in extracurricular activities.
methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 545 medical students from the Marmara University School of Medicine. The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale were used to assess IS and mindfulness, respectively. Participation in extracurricular activities was defined as engagement in at least one hour per week of sports, social or artistic activities.
resultsThe median age of the participants was 22 years, and 58% (n=316) were female. IS was present in 39.3% (95% CI: 35.1%-43.5%) of the participants. Students with higher mindfulness scores (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.27–0.49) and those who engaged in extracurricular activities (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.07–2.33) presented significantly lower levels of imposter syndrome (p < 0.05).
conclusionOur findings suggest that mindfulness and engagement in extracurricular activities is associated with lower IS scores, suggesting a potential protective role in medical students. These findings highlight the need for mindfulness-based interventions in medical education to support student well-being. Medical schools should consider integrating structured mindfulness programs and promoting extracurricular engagement as potential strategies to mitigate IS.
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