Is imposter syndrome a hoax? Planet Flem/Getty Images
DESCRIPTION – This syndrome, which today is not included in any serious scientific nomenclature, is transferred to the stage of a social “phenomenon”. Left untreated, however, it can have detrimental effects on daily life and even mental health.
“It is believed that at least 70% of people have already recognized themselves with impostor syndrome. That’s huge! Imagine that the statistics are the same for another pathology, such as depression,” Pauline d’Hocqueville, an occupational psychologist specializing in psychosocial risk prevention (i.e., mental health at work), initially shows. Rarely, in fact, has the syndrome been so common in society.
Dr. Pauline Clancy, who was at the beginning of her discovery, still bears the brunt of it today. In 1978, she and her colleague Susan Eames discovered the existence of the “cheater phenomenon” by studying 150 women who were engaged in prestigious professions but did not consider themselves to be successful. Since then, the psychologist receives about twenty interview requests per week, rarely for other jobs. However, the main factual errors remain, he regrets. “It’s a phenomenon and not a syndrome…
Source: Le Figaro
