Geoffrey Jalleh1, Robert J Donovan2, Ian Jobling3. 1. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia. Electronic address: g.jalleh@curtin.edu.au. 2. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia. 3. School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study presents a comprehensive examination of the Sport Drug Control Model via survey data of elite Australian athletes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional nationwide mail survey. METHODS: A mail survey of 1237 elite Australian athletes was conducted. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the model. RESULTS: Morality (personal moral stance on performance-enhancing substances use), reference group opinion (perceived moral stance of reference group on performance-enhancing substances use) and legitimacy (perceptions of the drug testing and appeals processes) evidenced significant relationships with attitude towards performance-enhancing substances use, which in turn was positively associated with doping behaviour. The model accounted for 81% and 13% of the variance in attitude towards performance-enhancing substances use and doping behaviour, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings validate the usefulness of the Sport Drug Control Model for understanding influences on performance-enhancing substances use. Nevertheless, there is a need to survey athletes representing a broader range of competition levels and cross-cultural research to test the model's applicability to other populations of athletes. Crown
OBJECTIVES: This study presents a comprehensive examination of the Sport Drug Control Model via survey data of elite Australian athletes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional nationwide mail survey. METHODS: A mail survey of 1237 elite Australian athletes was conducted. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the model. RESULTS: Morality (personal moral stance on performance-enhancing substances use), reference group opinion (perceived moral stance of reference group on performance-enhancing substances use) and legitimacy (perceptions of the drug testing and appeals processes) evidenced significant relationships with attitude towards performance-enhancing substances use, which in turn was positively associated with doping behaviour. The model accounted for 81% and 13% of the variance in attitude towards performance-enhancing substances use and doping behaviour, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings validate the usefulness of the Sport Drug Control Model for understanding influences on performance-enhancing substances use. Nevertheless, there is a need to survey athletes representing a broader range of competition levels and cross-cultural research to test the model's applicability to other populations of athletes. Crown