Intermediate and high school students' attitudes toward and behavior regarding steroids and sports supplements use: The mediation of clique identity

Summary

Acknowledging the reality that steroid use among adolescents is no longer confined to high school male athletes, this study sought to:

• Compare the steroid and sports supplements attitudes and behaviors of intermediate school and high school students on Long Island, New York

• Analyze the extent to which steroid attitudes and behaviors are influenced by age, gender and by level of school.

• Explore the identity dynamics of steroid and sports supplements attitudes and behaviors among intermediate school and high school students by ascertaining their clique membership and their perceptions of attitudes and values within these cliques.

• Compare attitudes toward steroids and sports supplements use and examine the influence of sports supplements use on the potential use of steroids by intermediate and high school students.

• Discuss the implications of identity dynamics and sports supplements values and behaviors for peer-based prevention programs focusing on middle school and high school students.

Methodology

This study examined intermediate and high school students’ attitudes toward and behavior regarding steroids and sports supplements use with a sample of junior high school and high school students from Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island, New York. Behavior was measured by questions about respondents’ future steroid use, and current sports supplements use. Attitudes were measured through respondents’ reactions to whether it was appropriate for their peers and themselves to use steroids and sports supplements in a variety of corporeal situations, and the degree to which use of these substances impacted fairness and health issues. Respondents’ also decided whether the use of steroids and sports supplements was legitimate in three specific scenarios involving fictitious male and female high school students, and gave reasons for their decisions.

Results

The most consistent finding in the descriptive phase of the results was the negative reaction to steroid use by the great majority of respondents. Steroid use was perceived as inappropriate across all the descriptive measures, for respondents’ own behavior, the behavior of their peers, for specific fairness and health issues, and in the fictitious athletic and fitness scenarios. This rejection of steroid use was made independent of gender and level of school, although a small but statistically significant age effect was found. While some statistically significant male and female differences were found, these were differences of degree not differences in direction. Specifically, male and female participants never differed in their endorsement of steroid use (i.e., one group in favor and the other group against), only in the degree to which they felt that steroid use was wrong. Differences of degree also characterized the few differences between junior high school and high school participants. The negative attitudes about steroid use were also reflected in the clique analysis. This analysis showed some clique effects but no differences in direction. Members of the “jock” and “regular’ cliques expressed the most negative views about steroid use, while members of the “troublemakers” group expressed the least negative views.

Significance for Clean Sport

The practical implications of this research were based on the belief that anti-doping education needs to adapt to the changing face of adolescent steroid users. The results of this study suggest that sports supplement use should also be included within anti-doping education programs. Based upon the results of this study, adolescents may reject steroid use, but see sports supplements as an acceptable alternative in the pursuit of specific sports and fitness goals, without much knowledge about the effects of these substances on physical performance and health. Given the attention paid to sport and exercise in the media, and the importance of physical appearance and body image to adolescence, some guidance on how to avoid the problems associated with such cosmetic fitness needs to be given to adolescence. This guidance could be part of the junior high school and high school curricula. However, because the subject is salient to the members of different cliques, some of which may not want to take much notice of what adults tell them (e.g., the “troublemakers” clique in this study), curriculum planning should prioritize individual involvement with the subject matter that focuses on life skill development. For example, a series of interactive modules on physical health could be developed in which students could investigate for themselves the effects of their diet, exercise habits, and use of drugs on their own physical health. Such an approach may have more chance of helping students bring about proactive changes in their life styles  than the more common lecture format.

Related publications

The steroids/sports supplements connection: pragmatism and sensation-seeking in the attitudes and behavior of JHS and HS students on Long Island