Latent profiles of impostor phenomenon and their associations with transition shock and workplace adaptability among newly graduated nurses in China: a cross-sectional study
- 1Department of Nursing, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
Abstract
Objectives To identify and characterise latent profiles of impostor phenomenon (IP) among newly graduated nurses and examine associations of sociodemographic and work-related factors, transition shock and workplace adaptability with profile membership.Design A cross-sectional study.Setting Data were collected from June 2024 to September 2025 from three tertiary hospitals in Jinan city, Shandong Province, China.Participants Newly graduated nurses were recruited using convenience sampling. All 330 distributed questionnaires were returned (questionnaire return rate 100%); 318 passed quality screening and were included in the analysis (valid questionnaire rate 96.36%).Outcome measures Participants completed a general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), the Transition Shock Scale for Newly Graduated Nurses and the Chinese version of the Nurses’ Workplace Adaptability Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA), using the three CIPS dimension scores as continuous indicators, was performed to identify IP profiles. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors associated with membership in different latent profiles.Results Three latent profiles of IP were identified by LPA: low-level IP group (32.08%), moderate-level IP group (49.37%) and high-level IP group (18.55%). Compared with the low-level IP group, shorter work experience (1–6 months), higher education level, non-independent practice, job dissatisfaction, higher transition shock scores and lower workplace adaptability scores were associated with membership in both the moderate-level and high-level IP groups (all p<0.05), whereas unmarried status was associated only with membership in the moderate-level IP group.Conclusions Using LPA, three latent profiles of IP were identified among newly graduated nurses, with the moderate-level group accounting for the largest proportion of participants. The identified profiles and their associated factors may provide a basis for differentiated transition support. Nursing managers and educators should give particular attention to the first 6 months of employment, align role expectations with demonstrated competence and strengthen structured preceptorship, staged clinical training, constructive feedback, peer support and access to psychological support.
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BibTeX
@article{xia2026latent,
title = {{Latent profiles of impostor phenomenon and their associations with transition shock and workplace adaptability among newly graduated nurses in China: a cross-sectional study}},
author = {Yu Xia and Dehu Wang and Xiaofei Kang and Wenshuo Dong and Lei Wei and Yingxue Sun and Min Ding},
journal = {BMJ Open},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125934},
url = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125934},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Latent profiles of impostor phenomenon and their associations with transition shock and workplace adaptability among newly graduated nurses in China: a cross-sectional study
AU - Yu Xia
AU - Dehu Wang
AU - Xiaofei Kang
AU - Wenshuo Dong
AU - Lei Wei
AU - Yingxue Sun
AU - Min Ding
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - BMJ Open
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125934
UR - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-125934
AB - Objectives To identify and characterise latent profiles of impostor phenomenon (IP) among newly graduated nurses and examine associations of sociodemographic and work-related factors, transition shock and workplace adaptability with profile membership.Design A cross-sectional study.Setting Data were collected from June 2024 to September 2025 from three tertiary hospitals in Jinan city, Shandong Province, China.Participants Newly graduated nurses were recruited using convenience sampling. All 330 distributed questionnaires were returned (questionnaire return rate 100%); 318 passed quality screening and were included in the analysis (valid questionnaire rate 96.36%).Outcome measures Participants completed a general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), the Transition Shock Scale for Newly Graduated Nurses and the Chinese version of the Nurses’ Workplace Adaptability Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA), using the three CIPS dimension scores as continuous indicators, was performed to identify IP profiles. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors associated with membership in different latent profiles.Results Three latent profiles of IP were identified by LPA: low-level IP group (32.08%), moderate-level IP group (49.37%) and high-level IP group (18.55%). Compared with the low-level IP group, shorter work experience (1–6 months), higher education level, non-independent practice, job dissatisfaction, higher transition shock scores and lower workplace adaptability scores were associated with membership in both the moderate-level and high-level IP groups (all p<0.05), whereas unmarried status was associated only with membership in the moderate-level IP group.Conclusions Using LPA, three latent profiles of IP were identified among newly graduated nurses, with the moderate-level group accounting for the largest proportion of participants. The identified profiles and their associated factors may provide a basis for differentiated transition support. Nursing managers and educators should give particular attention to the first 6 months of employment, align role expectations with demonstrated competence and strengthen structured preceptorship, staged clinical training, constructive feedback, peer support and access to psychological support.
SN - 2044-6055
SN - 2044-6055
ER -