The Predictive Value of Burnout and Impostor Syndrome on Medical Students’ Self-Esteem and Academic Performance

A Cross-Sectional Study

Bibliographic Data

ID22047190
AuthorsLiliana Veronica Diaconescu (0000-0001-7389-0786, Department of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania), Alexandra Mihăilescu (0000-0001-9875-529X, Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest, corresponding author), Ioana Ruxandra Stoian-Bălăşoiu (Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest, corresponding author), Andreea-Narcisa Cosma (Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania), Aikaterini Drakou (Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania), Ovidiu Popa-Velea (0000-0002-4112-083X, Department of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania)
Year2024
Volume14
Issue12
Pages1318
Publication date2024-11-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci14121318
OpenAlexW4404924686
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited75

Stress exposure can take a toll on the adjustment of young individuals, including students. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of burnout and impostor syndrome (IS) on self-esteem and academic performance in medical students. The participants were 331 undergraduate medical students (102 men, 229 women; 89.7% native, 12,1% international; mean age = 21.18, SD = 2.338). The study instruments included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory for Students (CBI-S), Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), and Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, while academic performance (AP) was reported as received GPA (objective AP) and expected GPA (subjective AP). The statistical analysis comprised independent t-tests, MANOVA, ANOVA, and correlational and mediational analyses. The results showed that native students had lower self-esteem and higher scores of personal burnout and IS. Irrespective of cultural differences, women scored higher than men in IS and in personal burnout, while men had higher self-esteem than women. Burnout and IS were correlated with a decrease in self-esteem (adj. R2 = 0.531) in the overall sample, whereas in native students, IS was correlated with a difference between subjective and objective self-assessments of AP (adj. R2 = 0.027). Burnout and impostor syndrome, despite not directly impacting academic performance, may significantly influence self-esteem, making them a target for preventive or interventional measures

Academic achievement · Burnout · Cross-sectional study · Developmental psychology · Predictive value · Self-efficacy · Self-esteem · Statistics · Clinical Psychology · Health and Well-being Studies · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Mathematics · Medicine · Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Internal Medicine

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