Story perspectives

Study Links Imposter Syndrome to Rigid Perfectionism

1/25/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A study finds a strong link between imposter syndrome and rigid, self-critical perfectionism, while there is no connection to narcissistic perfectionism.
The study was published in Personality and Individual Differences and included 278 undergraduate students from the University of Pennsylvania.
These results imply that therapeutic approaches can benefit from distinguishing imposter and narcissistic perfectionism.
However, the focus on a single demographic limits broader applicability.

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Story summary

A study finds a strong link between imposter syndrome and rigid, self-critical perfectionism, while there is no connection to narcissistic perfectionism.
The study was published in Personality and Individual Differences and included 278 undergraduate students from the University of Pennsylvania.
These results imply that therapeutic approaches can benefit from distinguishing imposter and narcissistic perfectionism.
However, the focus on a single demographic limits broader applicability.