Check out resources on "Imposter Syndrome."
This seems to be tied to Socially-prescribed Perfectionism in girls and women.
I've never known a HG+ woman that didn't have at least some of those thoughts, and I've known a fair number of them, working in STEM.
Honestly, exposure to true peers-- and LESS EXPOSURE to toxic social practices in adolescent girl culture, that's what works. There's a reason why I've not necessarily discouraged my DD's natural inclination to hang about with mostly MALE friends as a teen. The girls tend to come with so much drama, so much emotional baggage... so much that is negative for my DD's self-image. It's sad, but I feel like my first duty is to her, not girls as a whole.
I'm convinced that imposter syndrome is a result of girls who try to fit into normative girl culture when it isn't who they actually are. "Being smart" is never part of that normative culture, which is profoundly about appearance and being non-threatening and sexually appealing to others.
One gets into a habit of "pretending" and going along to get along-- and you forget who you ACTUALLY are at some point in those years between 10 and 25.
It's the social and emotional equivalent of foot-binding; learning to navigate a carnival funhouse is so hard that you learn to ignore your own inner voice.
Of course you question your own competence and authenticity at the end of that.
