Impostor Phenomenon and Cognitive Complaints in Anesthesiologists: A Neglected Risk for Patient Safety
| Registry | NCT07648576 |
|---|---|
| Status | Completed |
| Study type | Observational |
| Enrollment | 176 (Actual) |
| Sponsor | Fusun Gozen (Other gov) |
| Conditions | Impostor Phenomenon, Cognitive Complaints, Burnout, Professional |
| Interventions | Self-Administered Questionnaire (Other) |
| Dates | start 2026-02-15, primary completion 2026-05-15, completion 2026-05-15, first posted 2026-06-15, last updated 2026-06-15 |
| Locations | 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye) |
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All trials for Impostor Phenomenon All trials for Cognitive Complaints All trials of Self-Administered Questionnaire
This prospective observational cross-sectional survey study aims to investigate the relationship between impostor phenomenon and cognitive complaints in anesthesiologists, and to evaluate the role of potential confounding factors such as sleep quality, workload, anxiety, depression, and burnout in this relationship.
Anesthesiologists are required to make rapid decisions demanding high situational awareness for patient safety and clinical risk management. The Impostor Phenomenon (IP), frequently encountered among healthcare professionals, is defined as perceiving oneself as inadequate despite proven achievements, with persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. While existing literature has detailed the association of IP with mood symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and burnout, its effect on cognitive complaints has not been sufficiently examined. This study will assess IP using the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), cognitive complaints using the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and sleep quality and workload using single-item subjective scales. Data will be collected anonymously via an online self-administered structured questionnaire from anesthesiologists actively working in clinical practice.
| Arm | Type | Interventions | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study Cohort | Other: Self-Administered Questionnaire | Anesthesiologists actively working in clinical practice, including residents, specialists, and academic staff. Data were collected via an anonymous, self-administered online questionnaire assessing the impostor phenomenon, cognitive complaints, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and workload. |
Sex: All, ages: 18 Years to any, accepts healthy volunteers
Inclusion Criteria: Aged 18 years or older Actively working as an anesthesiologist (resident, specialist, or academic staff) Provided written informed consent Completed the survey in full Exclusion Criteria: Not actively working in clinical practice Refused to provide informed consent Submitted an incomplete survey
| Facility | City | Country | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Türkiye | Bursa | Turkey (Türkiye) |