Imposter Syndrome or a Wrong Diagnosis? - Exploring the Experiences of Graduate Teaching Assistants

Impostor syndrome has attracted research within and outside higher education. Scholars have linked impostor syndrome to reduced productivity, burnout and mental stress; making it an important topic for further studies. Research indicates that impostor syndrome is prevalent in higher education, affecting both experienced academics and Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs); and has been studied as both a behavioural trait and a phenomenon caused by external agents. This distinction in research approach has informed several studies which increasingly emphasise environmental and social factors in understanding causes of impostor syndrome and seeking solutions that improve mental wellbeing. Yet previous studies fail to adequately differentiate between impostor syndrome and other environmental or socially induced feelings, resulting in misguided support for GTAs. This study addresses this critical gap by investigating the question: “What are the feelings I am experiencing, and can they be considered impostor syndrome?” Our reflective essay uses state-trait theory and a three-stage autoethnographic methodological approach to examine our lived experiences as GTAs in a business school in dealing with impostor feelings. Our findings support earlier studies which state that GTAs are susceptible to impostor syndrome but identify gaps in how impostor syndrome has been categorised in literature. Our reflections revealed feelings of inadequacy and anxieties which though related to our roles as GTAs, could not be classified as impostor syndrome. This finding points to a gap in the support available to GTAs who may not be experiencing impostor syndrome but have anxieties which affect their productivity.