Safeguarding the future nursing workforce: The role of mental health in the relationship between emotional intelligence and  impostor phenomenon among undergraduate nursing students

Background Nursing students require high emotional intelligence to adapt and communicate effectively in complex clinical environments. Conversely, the impostor phenomenon has been frequently observed in this group and poses a significant threat to their mental health. However, the interplay between emotional intelligence, the impostor phenomenon, and mental health remains unclear, necessitating further investigation to inform supportive strategies. Objectives This study explored the relationship between emotional intelligence, mental health, and impostor phenomenon, and the mediating role of mental health between emotional intelligence and impostor phenomenon. Design A descriptive cross-sectional approach was used. The STROBE Statement was followed for reporting. Participants The study involved a sample of 317 undergraduate nursing students in China. Methods Data were collected during the 2024-2025 academic year using self-administered questionnaires that assessed demographic characteristics, emotional intelligence, and impostor phenomenon. Results Participants reported moderately high levels of emotional intelligence (80.87 ± 14.37) and impostor phenomenon (58.74 ± 13.53). The detection rate of positive mental health symptoms (21.45%) was slightly lower than the national adult norm. Emotional intelligence was negatively correlated with mental health ( P < 0.01), whereas impostor phenomenon was positively correlated with it ( P < 0.01). Mediation analysis revealed a suppression effect that mental health partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and impostor phenomenon, with a negative indirect effect but a positive direct effect, resulting in a non-significant total effect. Conclusion This study identifies both a protective pathway (where emotional intelligence reduces impostor phenomenon via mental health) and a potentially risky direct pathway. In practice applications, the focus should be on amplifying the protective pathway while mitigating the risky one to effectively promote individuals' psychological well-being and positive self-concept.