Are We Good Enough? – Impostor Syndrome in Slovenian Teachers and Professors

Impostor syndrome is the phenomenon of doubting oneself and one’s abilities, which can significantly impact workplace effectiveness. The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of impostor syndrome among teachers working in the Slovenian public school system, understand its relationship with demo­graphic variables, and explore the possible means of help. The study included a sample of 633 teachers (500 women; M = 45.37 years; employed at the primary (N =286), secondary (N =193) and tertiary (N =135) level of education) who completed the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale, provided their demographic information and answered open-ended questions about their experience and pos­sible means of help via an online survey. The results showed significant differences in impostor syndrome tendencies based on gender, age, duration of employment, the education level the participants teach at, and achieved level of education. The qualitative part of the study showed that impostor syndrome is often exacerbated when one experiences failure or a lack of knowledge, and that the participants find conversations to be the most helpful in alleviating such feelings. Regarding the role of colleagues and superiors, the participants emphasized the importance of good workplace relationships and receiving feedback. The study provides in­formation about the prevalence of impostor syndrome among Slovenian teachers and uncovers possible ways of supporting employees in overcoming it.