A cross-cultural approach to a cross-cultural issue: Psychosocial factors and doping in young athletes

Summary
This project, conducted between 2013 and 2015, aimed to investigate the psychosocial factors influencing doping intentions among young athletes, specifically focusing on football players in the UK, Denmark, and Greece. The research was a collaborative effort between the University of Birmingham, the University of Copenhagen, and the University of Thessaly, funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency's Social Science Research Grant. The study sought to understand how motivational and moral factors contribute to athletes' intentions to use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), considering the cross-cultural context to determine the universality of these factors.

Methodology
The study involved 1,495 elite football players from 93 teams across the three countries. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed doping intentions through hypothetical scenarios, moral atmosphere, moral identity, and other related variables. The research utilized structural equation modeling to test a conceptual model of doping intentions, examining the roles of performance motivational climate, moral atmosphere, and moral identity, along with mediating variables such as ego orientation, moral disengagement, and anticipated guilt.

Results

The findings revealed that a performance motivational climate, moral atmosphere, and moral identity significantly influenced doping intentions. Athletes perceiving a team environment that condoned doping and having a weak moral identity were more likely to express intentions to use banned substances. Moral disengagement and anticipated guilt were identified as mediators in these relationships. Notably, the study found that moral atmosphere was the most crucial factor across all three countries, while ego orientation did not significantly predict doping intentions.

Significance for Clean Sport

The project's insights have significant implications for promoting clean sport. By highlighting the importance of moral atmosphere and the role of moral disengagement and anticipated guilt, the study suggests that interventions should focus on fostering a team environment that discourages doping. Educating coaches and athletes about their influence on team norms and challenging justifications for doping can be effective strategies. The cross-cultural validation of the findings enhances their applicability, providing a robust framework for developing anti-doping policies and educational programs aimed at reducing doping in sports globally.

Related Publications

- Integrating moral and achievement variables to predict doping likelihood in football: A cross-cultural investigation