Impostor phenomenon among nursing leaders: Socio-demographic predictors and its impact on innovative work behavior

Abstract

Background: The Impostor Phenomenon (IP) is a psychological condition characterized by persistent self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud despite objective success. This study aims to assess the prevalence of IP among nursing leaders (NLs) and explore its association with socio-demographic factors and innovation-related work behaviors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 255 nursing leaders at a Saudi tertiary care hospital, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the validated 20-item Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) and innovative work behavior (IWB). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests (with effect sizes), and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to analyze IP prevalence, socio-demographic associations, and latent dimensions. Results: Out of 255 participants, 56.1% were aged 30–39 years, 73.7% were female, and 62% were non-Saudi. A major proportion of nurses reported moderate to intense impostor phenomenon (IP) levels, with non-Saudi nurses (58.7%) experiencing more than Saudi nationals (46.2%) (χ² = 11.260, p = 0.010). The PCA revealed three IP factors, namely Self-Doubt (46.9% variance), Achievement Pressure (8.3%), and External Attribution of Success (6.0%). The study observed that innovative work behavior factors were negatively correlated, like correlation between opportunity exploration with external attribution (r = -0.24, p < 0.001) and self-doubt (r = -0.31, p < 0.001), while achievement pressure showed a positive association with idea generation (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed that IWB among nursing leaders is influenced by socio-demographic factors and three core dimensions of the IP. This study highlights the need of developmental and psychological programs for nursing leaders especially to support realistic goal-setting, enhance constructive feedback, foster work innovation, and reduce the impostor phenomenon.