Imposter Syndrome in College Students Was Linked to Cannabis Problems Through Social Anxiety | Research

The takeaway

Among 115 college students who used cannabis, imposter syndrome was associated with more cannabis-related problems through a pathway involving social anxiety and coping-motivated use.

College counselors, student health professionals, cannabis prevention researchers

Imposter syndrome was linked to cannabis problems through social anxiety and coping-motivated use

What the researchers found

Imposter syndrome was significantly related to cannabis problems and to using cannabis to cope with negative emotions, particularly social anxiety. The statistical pathway ran from imposter syndrome to social anxiety to coping-motivated cannabis use to cannabis problems (indirect effect b = 0.01-0.02).

Why it matters

Imposter syndrome is extremely common among college students and has not previously been linked to cannabis use. Identifying it as a risk factor for problematic cannabis use could inform campus interventions that address the underlying psychological vulnerability rather than just the substance use.

The numbers in context

115 participants; 84% female; mean age 19.3; imposter syndrome significantly predicted cannabis problems; indirect effect through social anxiety and negative affect coping: b = 0.02 (CI: 0.003-0.04); indirect effect through social anxiety-specific coping: b = 0.01 (CI: 0.001-0.03)

How the study worked

115 undergraduates (84% female, mean age 19.3) with past-month cannabis use completed an online survey measuring imposter syndrome, social anxiety, coping motivations for cannabis use, and cannabis-related problems. Serial mediation analyzed using PROCESS macro.

What this study cannot tell us

Small sample (115) with predominance of female participants (84%), cross-sectional design cannot confirm causal direction, online survey with self-selection, single university, cannot determine if imposter syndrome precedes or follows cannabis use

How to read the evidence

Small cross-sectional study with predominantly female sample; novel finding but needs replication in larger, more diverse samples

When this study was published

Published 2025

The bigger picture

College campuses are investing heavily in both mental health support and substance use prevention. This study suggests these efforts could be connected: addressing imposter syndrome and social anxiety might simultaneously reduce problematic cannabis use.

Questions still open

Would treating imposter syndrome reduce cannabis use? Do male college students show the same pattern? Is the imposter syndrome-cannabis pathway unique to college settings, or does it extend to workplace environments?

Common questions

Is imposter syndrome related to cannabis problems?

In this study of 115 college cannabis users, feeling like a fraud (imposter syndrome) was linked to more cannabis-related problems through a pathway: imposter syndrome increased social anxiety, which increased coping-motivated cannabis use, which increased problems.

How could this finding help?

If imposter syndrome drives problematic cannabis use through anxiety, cognitive restructuring techniques that address self-doubt could potentially reduce cannabis problems without directly targeting the substance use itself.

Read the original research

Imposter Syndrome and Cannabis-Related Problems: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Coping-Motivated Cannabis Use.

Substance use & misuse, 1-7

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Buckner, Julia; Vargo, Luke; Knox, Amelia. (2025). Imposter Syndrome and Cannabis-Related Problems: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Coping-Motivated Cannabis Use.. Substance use & misuse, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2586660