Imposter Syndrome in Adolescents / Teens: Prevalence, Risk & Key Differences
| Key things to know | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| How common is it? | One adolescent study: >35% frequent-to-intense IP, selected sample |
| Is it more common among adolescents / teens? | IP increases across adolescence |
| Are adolescents / teens at higher risk? | Strong developmental relevance |
| How much higher is the risk? | >35% frequent/intense IP in one sample aged 12–17; girls higher than boys |
| How often can it be missed? | #N/A |
| Does it show up differently among adolescents / teens? | Very Strong Yes |
| How might it look different? | Academic ranking, exams, peer comparison, social media and identity formation can intensify fraudulence feelings |
| What commonly occurs alongside it? | #N/A |
| What can it be confused with? | Normal academic insecurity; social anxiety; depression; perfectionism |
| Common screening tool | CIPS / age-appropriate Impostor Phenomenon measure |
| Separate screening tool for adolescents / teens | None well established |
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