The relationship between goal orientation and attitudes toward doping in sports. Knowledge about and attitudes toward doping among Polish athletes

Summary
This project explored the relationship between goal orientation and attitudes toward doping in sport among Polish athletes.

Methodology

Cross sectional (descriptive, association, relational). 830 Polish athletes from 14 to 40, representing local, national and international level were surveyed.

Results

Poor general knowledge about anti-doping among Polish athletes

• Knowledge of Polish athletes concerning doping and anti-doping policy is unsatisfactory and its level is related to some socio-demographical variables, like gender, age, branch of sports discipline and length of sports career. 
• Relatively better level of knowledge was observed in items concerning awareness of rights and duties of an athlete towards anti-doping controls.

Sources of knowledge on doping

• The primary source of information on doping was TV, then internet, peers, coach, sports magazines and newspapers (especially body-building magazines, like Muscle, Flex, Men’s Health etc., but also specialist magazines, like Swimming, Basketball, Soccer etc.), books (scientific as well as investigating journalism). Others include physicians, school, parents, leaflets in sports clinics, and own experiences (taking drugs).
• Only minority of respondents drew their knowledge on doping from sources that could be regarded as reliable with reservation that internet which as the second in importance was not described in details (it can be a source of reliable knowledge promoted by anti-doping bodies, like the Polish Commission Against Doping in Sport, as well as source of web sites of doubtful value from the point of view of anti-doping policy)

Attitudes toward doping

• Direction of attitudes of examined athletes was positive, however its strength is moderate, which calls for more education which should be focused not only on cognitive aspects doping and anti-doping policy, but also on its ethical issues including argumentation in aid of maintaining anti-doping policy.
• The most favourable was attitude toward anti-doping controls, the least - in attitude toward sanctions. This discrepancy was best illustrated by one of the athletes who expressed their opinion in the space provided: “Anti-doping controls should be more frequent but sanctions for taking performance-enhancing drugs should be eased”
• Attitudes turned out to be influenced by some socio-demographical variables, especially gender and age, and not by branch of sport, however, more research is needed in this respect.

Relationship between goal orientations and attitudes toward doping

• A high task, low ego achievement goal orientation profile is most positively associated with attitudes toward doping and anti-doping policy. 
• With increase in task orientation increase, while with increase in ego orientation decrease in strength attitude was observed.
• The results suggest that creating a motivational climate which promotes task orientation may be important not only for maintaining long term motivation toward practising sport and for sportpersonship, but also for attitudes toward doping and anti-doping policy.

Significance for Clean Sport

The WADA Coach's Toolkit was updated and new material was developed based on these findings, e.g. the brochure entitled "Signs, Symptoms and Vulnerability Factors in Doping".

Related publications

Goal Orientations and Attitudes Toward Doping