Sarah Lausch

I Will Not Stand in My Way – Exploring the Effects of Mindfulness on Impostor Feelings through Self-Authorship in Female STEM Graduate Students

The impostor phenomenon (IP) describes a feeling of intellectual phoniness. Research states that particularly, female STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) college students in male-dominant programs are affected. The IP implies negative consequences on female students’ mental health, which endangers their retention, feelings of belonging, academic self-efficacy and success. Such issues can ultimately contribute to the STEM gender gap. This is concerning in terms of restricted career opportunities for women and limited diversity in the STEM workforce. Mindfulness is said  to have a positive influence on depression, anxiety, and stress. Moreover, it has shown to support students’ academic self-efficacy and self-awareness. Using self-authorship theory, the purpose of this mixed-methods study is to explore first, the effects of an eight-week, self-led mindfulness program on female STEM graduate students’ experience with the IP in computer science and engineering programs and second, their advancement on the self-authorship trajectory.

Sarah was born in a small town near Germany’s north coast. She moved to Boise in the Fall of 2014 to join a cultural exchange program for one year. The decision to go abroad was driven by her wish to travel, see more of this beautiful planet, and improve her English speaking skills. Long story short, she fell in love with Boise and enjoys skiing, kayaking, and other outdoor activities. Sarah holds a B.A. in Media and Information Management that she received from the University for Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Germany. She graduated from Boise State with an M.A. in Communication, and a graduate certificate in College Teaching in 2018. Sarah currently works on submitting her doctoral dissertation to complete the doctoral program in Curriculum and Instruction in Boise. Throughout her academic career she has been interested in supporting a holistic approach to learning and teaching. Thus, her current research focuses on the effects of the impostor phenomenon and self-authorship on students in higher education.