IMPOSTER SYNDROME: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Imposter syndrome, characterised by chronic self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud, is prevalent among university students. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of imposter syndrome between students in government and Imposter syndrome, characterised by chronic self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud, is prevalent among university students. A total of 120 students (60 from government universities and 60 from private universities) participated, Results indicated that government university students exhibited higher levels of self-handicapping behaviour and perfectionism, and lower levels of self-efficacy, supporting the hypothesis. These findings underscore the need for targeted support systems in government universities to address imposter syndrome. Future research should explore larger, more diverse samples and consider longitudinal designs.