<![CDATA[Academic stress is one of the most prevalent psychological problems experienced by university students due to heavy curricular demands and competitive collegiate environments. This academic pressure is frequently aggravated by social comparison behaviors occurring in daily interactions and digital platforms, which potentially induces severe self-doubt. Therefore, this quantitative study with a cross-sectional design aims to examine the mediating role of impostor syndrome in the relationship between social comparison and academic stress among undergraduate students. A total of 103 active university students in Jakarta completed the Iowa Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (α=0.917), Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (α=0.910), and Perception of Academic Stress Scale (α=0.848). Mediation analysis using structural equation modeling with 4,992 bootstrap samples revealed a statistically significant full mediation (β=0.126, p<.001), while the direct effect was non-significant (β=-0.006, p=.932). These empirical findings demonstrate that social comparison triggers academic stress exclusively through the elevated psychological feelings of being an intellectual fraud. ABSTRAK Stres akademik merupakan salah satu permasalahan psikologis yang paling banyak dialami oleh mahasiswa akibat berbagai tuntutan kurikulum serta persaingan di lingkungan perguruan tinggi. Tekanan akademik tersebut sering kali diperparah oleh perilaku social comparison atau perbandingan sosial yang marak terjadi melalui interaksi langsung maupun media sosial, sehingga berpotensi memicu keraguan terhadap kemampuan diri. Oleh karena itu, penelitian kuantitatif dengan desain cross-sectional ini bertujuan untuk menguji peran impostor syndrome sebagai mediator dalam hubungan antara social comparison dan stres akademik pada mahasiswa aktif. Sebanyak 103 mahasiswa di Jakarta berpartisipasi dengan mengisi instrumen Iowa Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (α=0,917), Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (α=0,910), dan Perception of Academic Stress Scale (α=0,848). Analisis mediasi berbasis structural equation modeling menggunakan teknik bootstrap 4.992 sampel menunjukkan adanya mediasi penuh yang signifikan (β=0,126, p<0,001), sedangkan efek langsung tidak signifikan (β=-0,006, p=0,932). Temuan ini menyimpulkan bahwa perbandingan sosial memicu stres akademik sepenuhnya melalui peningkatan perasaan penipu. ]]>
