Imposter Phenomenon

  The Imposter Phenomenon, or Imposter Syndrome, is a feeling people may experience where they believe they are an "imposter", and do not belong. This is usually related to feeling less competent or intelligent than people around you think you are. This is a much more common problem than many people realize, since people tend to try to hide these feelings in fear of their perceived inadequacy being discovered. There is an estimate of 70% of people having experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their lifetime. This percentage is even higher when looking into the healthcare professions, including occupational therapy, since these professions tend to have a high prevalence of high/ over-achieving personalities.

    I have personally experienced Imposter Syndrome many times, especially in the school setting. I have always been told that I am a perfectionist which is one of the more common traits that lead to Imposter Syndrome. After taking the "Imposter Phenomenon Rating Scale Test" I confirmed that I have "intense imposter phenomenon experiences" with a score of 85. I am almost done with my OT program which I think has intensified these feelings knowing that I will soon be responsible for my own clients. This on top of my natural levels of anxiety and perfectionism have definitely made Imposter Syndrome more prevalent in my life. Thankfully there are ways to combat this phenomenon. 

    One thing you can do is utilize self-reflection by making a list of your accomplishments as a visual reminder that you have been successful and to give yourself recognition for what you have done. You can also set goals; I personally have utilized this in the past when trying to boost my confidence. I tend to set goals that push me a little, but are also very achievable and short-term so that I am frequently meeting new goals. It can also help to just open to people and talk about these feelings with friends and even a trusted co-worker. As mentioned earlier, many people struggle with this and sometimes hearing that others feel the same way can be comforting and help relieve a little bit of that stress. Overall, it is important to remember that you are not alone and give yourself that credit you deserve.

References

Albanese, S. (2019). Facing imposter syndrome as a new grad. Eyes on Eye Care. https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/facing-impostor-syndrome-new-grad/

Lancaster, S. (2017). Imposter Phenomenon (No. 7). [Audio podcast episode]. In On the Air. http://www.ontheair.us/podcast1/episode-7-impostor-phenomenon

Locus of Control

As a future OT practitioner, it is important to understand locus of control. Locus of control refers to one’s perception of their own control over things in their life. It falls on a continuum from an internal locus of control, where a person perceives everything in their life is within their control to an external locus of control, where a person perceives things to be out of their control. If a client has an internal locus of control, it is important to understand that they may be hard on themselves if they are not progressing as much as they would like. If a client has an external locus of control, they may have a harder time taking an active role in their therapy since they will have a tendency to wait for someone to “fix” them.

            While there can be some downsides to someone having a strong internal locus of control, such as being less likely to admit when there is a problem or wanting to be quick in and out with their therapy, in general we as therapist do want to encourage our clients to have a more internal locus of control. For clients who have a more external locus of control, it is important to guide them to feel like they have more control over their treatment and make sure they understand that we can provide them with some of the tools for success, but at the end of the day they are the ones who have to put in the work. It is important that we can recognize these personality traits early on with our clients so we know the kind of support they may need in order to play an active role in their treatment.