SOCIAL MEDIA, IMPOSTOR SYNDROME AND OTHER EMOTIONAL SUFFERINGS AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

• Grant number: 24/22657-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Maria José Martins Duarte Osis
• Grantee: Victoria Moraes Issa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí (FMJ). Prefeitura Municipal de Jundiaí. Jundiaí , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, the mental health of medical students is a concern due to the pressures and challenges faced during their training, as evidenced by studies that have identified a high prevalence of mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, Imposter Syndrome, and Burnout Syndrome. The virtual environment can intensify the pressures and contradictions in professional training, increasing the risk of developing these emotional disorders and impacting the formation of medical identity, making it necessary to investigate this association for an adequate approach.Objectives: To assess the relationships between the use of social media by medical students, the presence of imposter syndrome, and other emotional distress in the process of constructing medical identity.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study will be conducted with medical students. The invitation to participate in the study will be disseminated in student groups on messaging apps and social media. This dissemination will include a link through which the potential participant will have access to the Informed Consent Form and, if they agree to participate in the research, will have access to the study questionnaire. This instrument is composed of questions to characterize the participants, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT - Brazilian version) questionnaire, and the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale: Brazilian Adaptation. The participants' responses will be stored and organized in spreadsheets for analysis. Data analysis will include the frequency of all variables, and then possible associations between the IAT and Clance Scale scores, as well as possible associations between these scores and participant characteristics, including self-reported other emotional distress, will be investigated.Expected Results: It is expected to identify possible relationships between the degree of internet addiction and the presence of impostor syndrome, and whether there is a relationship between this phenomenon and the participants' references to having other emotional distress.