The impostor phenomenon, initially identified by Clance and Imes (1978), is characterized as a complex set of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors typically observed in high-achieving individuals. This phenomenon manifests in individuals who, while they are successful and high achieving, attribute their success to luck or external factors rather than their own abilities.

Individuals experiencing the impostor phenomenon often perceive themselves as intellectual frauds, anticipating eventual exposure (Kolligian & Sternberg, 1991). This self-perception leads to the establishment of lower professional goals. In the context of higher education, young researchers and educators affected by the impostor phenomenon often find their self-beliefs hindering their professional development. Interestingly, while those affected by the impostor phenomenon in higher education tend to set lower professional goals for themselves (Cockley et al., 2015), studies have shown a positive correlation between the impostor phenomenon and academic performance among students (King & Cooley, 1995). Two distinct behavioral patterns are commonly observed in individuals experiencing the impostor phenomenon, the over-preparation and perfectionism and the procrastination followed by last-minute rushes. Both patterns result in individuals attributing their performance to chance rather than their invested effort.

Several studies have examined the impostor phenomenon among young educators in various fields, such as students in music education (Sims and Cassidy, 2018), young university lecturers and researchers in natural sciences (Chakraverty, 2022), teachers transitioning from practitioners to professional educators in health professional education (Freeman et al., 2021), and in educational development (Rudenga and Garvett, 2020), who found that 96% of professionals in educational development were affected by the impostor phenomenon.

In the Hungarian context the impostor phenomenon has emerged as a self-described characteristic in recent Hungarian studies focusing on highly educated individuals, such as first generation graduates (Durst et al., 2022) and doctoral students (Csereklye, 2024).

Our research aimed to validate the IPP15 (Impostor-Profile) questionnaire in Hungary among university students. The original 30 item questionnaire was developed by Ibrahim et al. (2020; 2022), and the Hungarian version was developed in 2024 in a survey with 311 participants which checked the internal coherence of the IPP15 scale for students studying in Hungarian Higher Education. The current study validates the tool and examines the relevance of the impostor phenomenon in higher education and its relationship with social mobility, socioeconomic background, self-esteem (Rosenberg Self -Esteem Scale; Rosenberg, 1965), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory, Student Survey; Maslacch & Jackson, 1981), emotional creativity (Emotional Creativity Inventory; Averill & Thomas-Knowles, 1991), self-critical rumination (Self-Critical Rumination Scale; Smart & al., 2016), somatic complaints (Somatic Complaints in Childhood Scale; Jellesma & al., 2007;), body attitudes (Body Attitude Test;  Probst & al, 1995) and the work motivation (Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale; Gagné &al., 2015)

European research on the impostor phenomenon has shown its prevalence in various academic and professional settings, highlighting its impact on students and faculty members (Pleace & Nicholls, 2023; Pákozdy & al., 2023; Chakraverty, 2022)

Recent European initiatives have focused on developing interventions and support systems to address impostor feelings among early career academics and professionals, recognizing the phenomenon's potential to hinder career progression and well-being in competitive academic environments (Mulholland & al., 2022; Para & al., 2024)

A first set of data has been collected to understand the internal cohesion of the survey in 2024 March-April, further data collection for validation happened 2024 November-December. The in-depth analysis of the data starts in January 2025, and expected to be completed by March 2025. Data was collected among higher education students in Hungary. The data collection is online by using the Qualtrics software. The participation is voluntary, and unpaid. We have collected 766 responses to 15. December 2024. We have measured the following variables: Demographics: gender, age, education level, level of higher education studies, place of living, place of living at the age of 18, family’s financial situation at the time of data collection and at the age of 18. IPP30 items (Ibrahim & al. 2022) (scale 1-10, 1= not typical of me at all, 10= absolutely typical of me) Rosenberg Self -Esteem Scale (RSES-HU) (Scale 1-4, 1= I totally disagree, 4= I totally agree) Maslach Burnout Inventory, Student Survey (MBI-SS-HUN) (scale 0 to 6, 0= never, 6= always) effectiveness/authenticity subscales of the Emotional Creativity Inventory (ECI) (scale 1 to 5, 1= not typical of me at all, 5= absolutely typical of me) Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale (scale 1 to 7, 1=not at all, 7 = completely) Contingent-Self esteem Scale (scale 1 to 4, 1= strongly disagree, 4 = Strongly agree) Self-Critical Rumination Scale (scale 1 to 4, 1= not at all, 4 = very much) Body Attitude Test (scale 0 to 5, 0 = never, 5 = always) In the analysis we are using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis on the IPP30 items, Correlation analysis to measure the convergent relevance of the IPP scale and T-tests and ANOVA for further analysis. For the analysis we plan to use SPSS and Jamovi softwares.

Our research on the impostor phenomenon in Hungarian higher education is expected to yield several significant findings. Firtstly, the validation of IPP15 Questionnaire among Hungarian university students, as the primary aim of our study This validation will provide a reliable tool for measuring the impostor phenomenon in the Hungarian higher educational context. Secondly, the research hypothesizes various correlations between the IPP total score and other psychological measures. Positive correlations are expected with burnout, extrinsic motivation, self-critical rumination, somatic complaints, and body dissatisfaction. Negative correlations are anticipated with self-esteem, identified motivation, and intrinsic motivation. Thirdly, by analyzing the relationship between the demographic factors and the IPP 15 total score of participants, our study predicts higher IPP scores among first-generation university students, doctoral students compared to other levels of higher education, and female students in higher education. These findings, if confirmed, will provide valuable insights into the prevalence and impact of the impostor phenomenon in Hungarian higher education. The results could inform targeted interventions and support systems for students and academics teaching them, which potentially contribute to both students’ and lecturers’ well-being and academic performance. The study's outcomes may also contribute to the broader European research on the impostor phenomenon, enhancing our understanding of its manifestation in diverse academic settings.

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