Some researchers have recognized the importance of understanding women's experiences. Some psychosocial characteristics, such as low levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy, and low success expectations have been identified as barriers for women's career development (Betz, 1994). Because many women have continued to select careers that are considered as female-dominated (e.g., teaching) and because psychosocial characteristics and experiences of teachers such as self-esteem and the impostor phenomenon can have an influence on their students' self-esteem, this researcher believed that this is an important topic for continued research. Although these two concepts, self-esteem and impostor phenomenon, have been documented as two unrelated experiences (dance, 1985), it does not seem a wise course of action to abandon further research in examining a possible relationship between them.

The primary purpose of the present study was to examine the psychosocial characteristics of self-esteem and impostor phenomenon of a particular group of women. All of these women were school teachers, kindergarten through grade 12. The information gathered was used to determine the relationship between these two variables: self-esteem and the impostor phenomenon. There was also an attempt to determine if there was a difference between White and Black female teachers regarding self-esteem and the impostor phenomenon. Some selected demographics were used to determine if there were other personal variables that may help predict levels of self-esteem and the impostor phenomenon.

There was evidence that although there was indication that senior high school teachers have problems with self-esteem, female teachers, kindergarten through grade 12, experience minor problems with self-esteem. In reviewing the difference between the Black and White teachers' self-esteem, there was no significant difference between their mean scores. The evidence also demonstrates that teachers, kindergarten through grade 12, both Black and White, experience a moderate level of the impostor phenomenon. The findings for relationship between self-esteem and impostor phenomenon are inconsistent with some researchers who report that there is no relationship between self-esteem and the impostor phenomenon. The implications of the findings are discussed and recommendations for further research are made.