A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Coaching to Mitigate the Impostor Phenomenon in Early-Career Software Engineers
A surprising finding reveals what *actually* helps developers feel more confident.
Deep Dive
A new study tested a structured coaching program on 20 early-career software engineers to combat Imposter Phenomenon (IP). While the coaching group showed modest reductions in IP scores, the control group improved just as much during the observation phase. This suggests that simply working on a team and engaging in project collaboration may have a stronger positive impact on confidence than formal coaching interventions alone.
Why It Matters
For managers, this challenges the ROI of expensive coaching and highlights the power of supportive team environments.