Impostor Syndrome Scale

Do you often feel like you're just 'faking it' through life, despite evidence of your accomplishments? Take this test to find out if you have 'impostor syndrome.'

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | February 20, 2024

Impostor syndrome, a phenomenon first identified in the 1970s by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, refers to the persistent feeling of inadequacy despite evidence of success and competence. Those experiencing impostor syndrome often doubt their abilities and fear being exposed as frauds, even when objectively achieving significant accomplishments. This psychological phenomenon affects individuals across various domains, from students to professionals, and can have profound effects on mental well-being and performance.

Left unaddressed, these thoughts can lead to increased stress, anxiety and burnout, hindering personal and professional growth. By understanding the underlying thought patterns associated with impostor syndrome, individuals can develop strategies to challenge negative self-perceptions and cultivate self-confidence.

The Short Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS-10) is a widely used tool for assessing the extent of impostor syndrome experienced by individuals. Based on the pioneering scale developed by Pauline Clance, the CIPS-10 consists of a series of statements that individuals rate based on their personal experiences. By quantifying impostorism-related thoughts and behaviors, the scale serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and address impostor syndrome effectively.

You can take this test here. Please follow all of the steps to receive your results.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. I’m afraid people important to me may find out that I’m not as capable as they think I am.

2. When I’ve succeeded at something and received recognition for my accomplishments, I have doubts that I can keep repeating that success.

3. I’m afraid that I may fail at a new assignment or undertaking even though I generally do well at what I attempt.

4. I feel or believe that my success in my life or in my job has been the result of luck instead of ability.

5. I compare my ability to those around me and think they may be more intelligent than I am.

6. I feel my success was due to some kind of luck rather than competence.

7. I tend to remember the incidents in which I have not done my best more than those times I have done my best.

8. I worry about not succeeding with a project or on an examination, even though others around me have considerable confidence that I will do well.

9. If I receive a great deal of praise and recognition for something I’ve accomplished, I tend to discount the importance of what I have done.

10. It’s hard for me to accept compliments or praise about my intelligence or accomplishments.

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores to people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.

References: Wang, B., Andrews, W., Bechtoldt, M. N., Rohrmann, S., & de Vries, R. E. (2022). Validation of the Short Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS-10). European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 2022. 1-11. doi:10.1027/1015-5759/a000747