Imposter Syndrome in Postpartum mothers: Prevalence, Risk & Key Differences
| Key things to know | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| How common is it? | NE |
| Is it more common among postpartum mothers? | No established prevalence elevation; identity/competence context can be distinctive |
| Are postpartum mothers at higher risk? | Contextually relevant |
| How much higher is the risk? | NE |
| How often can it be missed? | #N/A |
| Does it show up differently among postpartum mothers? | Strong Yes |
| How might it look different? | “Everyone else knows how to be a mother/father except me,” interpreting normal uncertainty as evidence of inadequacy |
| What commonly occurs alongside it? | #N/A |
| What can it be confused with? | Normal new-parent uncertainty; postpartum anxiety/depression; perfectionism |
| Common screening tool | CIPS — Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale |
| Separate screening tool for postpartum mothers | None |
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