Delving into the impostor phenomenon: its incidence and effects on young agricultural educator career attrition

Abstract

Teacher attrition is not a new challenge for school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs and has presented itself as a challenge since the inception of the content area in the early twentieth century. The supply of agriculture teachers does not currently meet the demand created by expanding and new SBAE programs. Countless studies have explored the reasons for job displeasure and attrition within agricultural education, but none have explored the impostor phenomenon as a potential contributor to teacher attrition. The impostor phenomenon, also known as impostor syndrome, is a phenomenon characterized by self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments, typically amongst high-achieving persons. These individuals experience pervasive feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and feelings of being a “fraud” at work, despite career-related accomplishments. This study utilized the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale to establish the frequency and intensity of impostor phenomenon in a sample of agriculture teachers with less than ten years of teaching experience. Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior was also used to conceptualize the decision to leave the classroom. Both constructs were applied to a questionnaire and disseminated to nearly 1,000 teachers in NAAE Region II. Data analysis revealed over 92% of teachers had moderate to intense impostor feelings, with 11% having intense symptoms. Impostor scores were significantly correlated with participant’s propensity towards leaving the classroom, with the planned behavior constructs of perceived behavioral control and perceived norm being significant indicators. Participants with low perceived background in production agriculture also had significant correlations with impostor feelings.