Imposter Syndrome in College Students Was Linked to Cannabis Problems Through Social Anxiety
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.
Quick Facts
What This Study 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).
Key Numbers
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 They Did This
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.
Why This Research 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 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.
What This Study Doesn't 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
Questions This Raises
- ?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?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Imposter syndrome was linked to cannabis problems through social anxiety and coping-motivated use
- Evidence Grade:
- Small cross-sectional study with predominantly female sample; novel finding but needs replication in larger, more diverse samples
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Imposter Syndrome and Cannabis-Related Problems: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Coping-Motivated Cannabis Use.
- Published In:
- Substance use & misuse, 1-7 (2025)
- Authors:
- Buckner, Julia, Vargo, Luke, Knox, Amelia
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06132
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked 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 More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06132APA
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
MLA
Buckner, Julia, et al. "Imposter Syndrome and Cannabis-Related Problems: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Coping-Motivated Cannabis Use.." Substance use & misuse, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2586660
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Imposter Syndrome and Cannabis-Related Problems: The Roles o..." RTHC-06132. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/buckner-2025-imposter-syndrome-and-cannabisrelated
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.