The impostor phenomenon in Palestinian higher education: associations with self-esteem, anxiety, and competitiveness - a cross-sectional study

Impostor syndrome (IS) is characterized by persistent self-doubt and feelings of intellectual fraudulence despite objective evidence of competence. Although IS has been widely studied among healthcare professionals and medical students, evidence among university students from diverse academic disciplines in Palestine remains scarce. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IS among Palestinian university students and identify factors associated with its severity. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students at An-Najah National University, Palestine, between March and May 2026. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that included sociodemographic and academic characteristics, the Arabic Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, independent-samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multivariable linear regression were performed to identify factors associated with IS. A total of 430 students participated (median age: 20 years; 77.9% female). The mean CIPS score was 56.2 ± 16.0. Based on established cutoffs, 47.2% of participants reported moderate impostor feelings, 29.3% frequent impostor feelings, and 6.5% intense impostor feelings, while only 17.0% reported few impostor feelings. CIPS scores were positively correlated with anxiety (ρ = 0.341, p < .001) and negatively correlated with self-esteem (ρ = -0.555, p < .001). In multivariable linear regression analysis, higher anxiety scores (β = 0.163, p < .001), lower self-esteem scores (β = -0.486, p < .001), age ≥ 20 years (β = 0.131–0.132, p ≤ .005), and competitiveness (β = 0.125, p = .016) were independently associated with higher IS severity. The final model explained 40.9% of the variance in CIPS scores (R² = 0.409). Impostor syndrome was highly prevalent among Palestinian university students, with more than one-third reporting frequent or intense impostor feelings. Lower self-esteem, higher anxiety, older age, and competitiveness were independently associated with greater IS severity. University-based interventions aimed at enhancing self-esteem and addressing anxiety may help reduce impostor feelings and improve students’ psychological well-being.