Using the influence of coaches, parents, and peers on adolescent elite athletes’ doping cognitions to enhance doping prevention effectiveness

Summary

The overarching goal of the present study was to gain insight in the doping perspectives and intentions of talented adolescent athletes’ social entourage (coaches, parents, and peers). We conceptualized this goal into the three aims which we investigated in two studies. The first study was conducted in the Netherlands and addressed the aim to map and compare the doping thoughts and experiences of the adolescent athletes’ social entourage (Study 1.1) as well as the aim to investigate the responses of the social entourage to hypothetical doping dilemmas and the advice they would give their adolescent athletes (Study 1.2). The second study was conducted in Germany and addressed the aim to research and compare the associations with doping intentions of the adolescent athletes’ social entourage (Study 2). Specifically, we set out to answer the following research question: What are the associations of doping attitudes, moral disengagement, perceived behavioral control, and anticipated guilt with doping intentions in talented adolescent athletes’ coaches, parents and peers, and are there differences between the social entourage groups?

Methodology

• Study 1

1, 109 participants (19 coaches, 71 parents, 19 peers) were asked to participate in a survey about various anti-doping topics. In Study 1.2, 69 participants (14 coaches, 46 parents, 9 peers) were presented three different dilemmas involving an athlete in the position to dope or report doping. Participants were asked to indicate for each of the dilemmas how realistic they thought the scenario was.

• Study 2

180 participants (58 coaches, 37 parents, 85 peers) were asked to complete measures of doping attitudes, perceived behavioral control, moral disengagement, anticipated guilt and doping intentions.

Results

The present research indicates a large degree of similarity in the perspectives and responses of talented adolescent athletes’ coaches, parents and peers. At the same time, clear differences between the entourage groups are demonstrated. Compared to coaches and peers, parents perceived the sport of the their athletes to be high at risk for doping less frequently, felt that doping played a smaller role in the lives of their athletes, had attended a doping information meeting less frequently, were more confident that their athletes would tell them if they were using doping, attributed less control over doping use to their athletes, and demonstrated smaller levels of doping moral disengagement. In addition, compared to parents and peers, coaches discussed the topic of doping more often with their athletes and had experienced a doping situation more often. Last, compared to coaches and parents, peers felt less responsible to discuss doping with their athletes, perceived the moral dilemmas to be less realistic, and showed more intention to use doping.

Significance for Clean Sport

By investigating coaches’, parents’, and peers’ perspectives on doping as well as associations of their doping intentions with psychological constructs drawn from the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Social-Cognitive Theory, this studies fills a gap in the existing doping literature. It demonstrates the uniqueness of each social entourage groups and emphasizes the potentially differential role of coaches, parents and peers in adolescent athletes’ doping perspectives.