Athletes' beliefs about and attitudes towards taking banned performance-enhancing substances: A qualitative study
File version
Accepted Manuscript (AM)
Author(s)
Hardcastle, Sarah J
Lentillon-Kaestner, Vanessa
Donovan, Robert J
Dimmock, James A
Hagger, Martin S
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract
Elite athletes’ beliefs about, and attitudes toward, taking banned performance-enhancing substances were explored in 8 focus-group discussions with 57 athletes from 7 different sports. Discussion was initiated by 3 broad open-ended questions pertaining to 3 important themes likely to affect beliefs and attitudes toward banned performance-enhancing substances. Thematic content analysis of interview transcripts revealed 9 lower-order themes emerging under the 3 global themes: personal attitudes (reputation and getting caught, health effects, and financial incentives and rewards), social influences (coaches, parents, and medical staff and sport scientists), and control beliefs (i.e., insufficiency of doping testing, resource availability, and sport level and type). Findings provide insight into the beliefs and attitudes that likely underpin motives and intentions to take banned performance-enhancing substances. Results are generally consistent with, and complement, research adopting quantitative approaches based on social–cognitive models examining the beliefs and attitudes linked to taking banned performance-enhancing substances.
Journal Title
Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
3
Issue
4
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
© 2014 American Psycological Association. This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record. Reproduced here in accordance with publisher policy. Please refer to the journal link for access to the definitive, published version.
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Sports science and exercise not elsewhere classified