SynthesisMedical education2026
Rethinking the impostor phenomenon: An umbrella review of concept, context and interventions.
Synthesis in Medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Rethinking the impostor phenomenon: An umbrella review of concept, context and interventions.Medical education · 2026Pooled it
- Anxiety and Depression in Women's Cardiovascular Health: Risk Modifiers, Mechanisms and Clinical Implications.Journal of cardiovascular development and disease · 2026Review
- Quiet Doubts: Exploring the Relationship between Introversion, Demographic Characteristics, and Imposter Phenomenon among Canadian Medical Students, Residents and Practicing Physicians.Perspectives on medical education · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundImpostor Phenomenon (IP) is a psychological experience characterized by persistent self-doubt and an inability to internalize achievements, leading to negative emotional and professional consequences. In health professions education (HPE), IP is of particular concern because it has been linked to learner well-being, professional development and potentially to patient safety. Despite growing interest in IP within health care and academic settings, uncertainties remain about how IP is conceptualized, the contextual factors that shape its occurrence and the effectiveness of interventions to address it. This umbrella review synthesizes existing systematic and scoping reviews to examine (1) IP's conceptualization, (2) the contextual influences associated with its occurrence and (3) the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing its impact.
methodsThis umbrella review is reported following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and ERIC from November 27th to December 4th, 2024. Systematic and scoping reviews on IP and related interventions were included. Methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR-2 and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tool.
resultsSixteen reviews (eight systematic and eight scoping) covering diverse populations and methodologies were included. The reviews revealed a lack of conceptual consistency and challenges in measuring and comparing IP, with no gold-standard assessment tool. Reported prevalence varied widely- reflecting conceptual and measurement challenges- with risk factors including perfectionism, marginalized status and hierarchical workplace cultures. Coaching, online self-study modules and mindfulness-based interventions showed potential in reducing IP intensity, but the methodological quality of intervention studies was inconsistent, with few high-quality studies.
conclusionsResults highlight the need for conceptual refinement, standardized measurement tools and rigorous intervention research on IP. Future studies should focus on deconstructing and reconceptualizing IP, as well as developing multidimensional assessment frameworks and evaluating evidence-based interventions to improve confidence and competence among individuals experiencing IP.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.