Designing and validating measures of doping moral disengagement and self-regulatory efficacy, and assessing a model of doping behavior

Summary

This project aimed to create and test tools for understanding why athletes might justify using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and how confident they feel in resisting such pressures. The research focused on developing reliable measures to assess athletes' moral disengagement—ways they might rationalize doping—and their self-regulatory efficacy, or their ability to resist doping. The study also tested a model to understand the factors influencing doping behavior, using Bandura’s theory of moral thought and action as a framework.

Methodology

The research involved developing two main scales: the Doping Moral Disengagement Scale (DMDS) and the Doping Self-Regulatory Efficacy Scale (DSRES). These scales were tested and validated through surveys with athletes and exercisers from various sports and exercise settings. The study included three samples, with a total of 610 participants, to ensure the scales were reliable and valid. The researchers used statistical methods to analyze the data and confirm the scales' effectiveness in measuring the intended constructs.

Results

The study successfully developed and validated the DMDS and DSRES, showing that these tools could reliably measure athletes' moral disengagement and self-regulatory efficacy. The results indicated that athletes who were more morally disengaged were more likely to report doping, while those with higher self-regulatory efficacy were less likely to dope. The research also found that empathy and anticipated guilt played roles in influencing doping behavior, with empathy reducing moral disengagement and guilt deterring doping

Significance for Clean Sport

This project provides valuable tools for understanding and addressing doping in sports. By identifying how athletes justify doping and their confidence in resisting it, the research offers insights that can inform anti-doping education and intervention programs. The validated scales can be used by researchers and sports organizations to better understand the psychological factors behind doping and to develop strategies that promote clean sport. The findings emphasize the importance of fostering empathy and guilt as deterrents to doping, contributing to the broader effort to maintain integrity in sports.

Related Publications
Development of moral disengagement and self-regulatory efficacy assessments relevant to doping in sport and exercise