Impostorism, Depression, and Work Motivation in U.S. Immigrants

Publication Date

2025

Presentation Length

Poster/Gallery presentation

College

College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department

Psychological Science, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

SPARK Category

Knowledge

Faculty Advisor

Abigail Heller

SPARK Session

Developmental Psychopathology 1 or 2 (Heller)

Presentation Type

Poster

Summary

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between imposter syndrome, depression, and different types of work motivation among first-generation employed immigrants in the United States. Participants (N = 160) recruited through Prolific completed self-report measures assessing impostorism, depression, and work motivation via Qualtrics. The results revealed that impostorism was not significantly correlated with introjected regulation motivation, r(158) = -.09, p = .264, r2 = .01, but impostorism was positively correlated with extrinsic social motivation, r(158) = .27, p < .001, r2 = .07. This indicates that individuals with higher levels of impostorism may rely on external validation for work motivation. Depression showed a significant negative correlation with intrinsic motivation, r(158) = -.39, p <.001, r2 = .15, and a significant positive correlation with amotivation, r(158) = .38, p <.001, r2 = .14. These results align with previous research suggesting that depression decreases work motivation, while impostorism may increase work engagement. Limitations in this study included self-reported data and potential cultural differences in work motivation and mental health. Future research should explore using longitudinal designs to better understand these long-term effects.

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