Tonya Dodge1, Paige Clarke1. 1. a Department of Psychology, George Washington University , Washington , DC , USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Performance-enhancing substances are used by adolescent athletes to help improve performance. Anabolic steroids (AS) are performance-enhancing substances that pose significant health problems when used by adolescents. OBJECTIVES: Objectives were to: (1) examine the extent to which parents and adolescents discuss AS and (2) test whether parent-adolescent communication about AS can generalize to, and influence, decisions to use other types of performance-enhancing substances. METHOD: Adolescent athletes (n = 244) completed an anonymous questionnaire that assessed the extent to which the adolescents discussed with their parents the performance outcomes and protective factors associated with AS, their intentions to use AS, and their willingness to try a newly developed, potentially illegal performance-enhancing substance. Data were collected during 2009-2010. RESULTS: Adolescents reported relatively low levels of communication with their parents about anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS). Communication with parents about the performance outcomes associated with AS was a positive predictor of willingness to try a newly developed performance-enhancing substance (b = 0.31, p < .01) and intentions to use AS (b = 0.54, p < .01). Communication with parents about protective factors predicted willingness to try a new performance-enhancing substance (b = -0.24, p < .01), but not intentions (b = -0.20, p > .77). Conclusions/Importance: Parents should highlight the protective factors and avoid emphasizing the performance outcomes associated with AS in discussions with their adolescents. Discussions about AS may influence adolescents' decisions to use other types of performance-enhancing substances.
BACKGROUND: Performance-enhancing substances are used by adolescent athletes to help improve performance. Anabolic steroids (AS) are performance-enhancing substances that pose significant health problems when used by adolescents. OBJECTIVES: Objectives were to: (1) examine the extent to which parents and adolescents discuss AS and (2) test whether parent-adolescent communication about AS can generalize to, and influence, decisions to use other types of performance-enhancing substances. METHOD: Adolescent athletes (n = 244) completed an anonymous questionnaire that assessed the extent to which the adolescents discussed with their parents the performance outcomes and protective factors associated with AS, their intentions to use AS, and their willingness to try a newly developed, potentially illegal performance-enhancing substance. Data were collected during 2009-2010. RESULTS: Adolescents reported relatively low levels of communication with their parents about anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS). Communication with parents about the performance outcomes associated with AS was a positive predictor of willingness to try a newly developed performance-enhancing substance (b = 0.31, p < .01) and intentions to use AS (b = 0.54, p < .01). Communication with parents about protective factors predicted willingness to try a new performance-enhancing substance (b = -0.24, p < .01), but not intentions (b = -0.20, p > .77). Conclusions/Importance: Parents should highlight the protective factors and avoid emphasizing the performance outcomes associated with AS in discussions with their adolescents. Discussions about AS may influence adolescents' decisions to use other types of performance-enhancing substances.
Authors: Adam R Nicholls; Ed Cope; Richard Bailey; Katrin Koenen; Detlef Dumon; Nikolaos C Theodorou; Benoit Chanal; Delphine Saint Laurent; David Müller; Mar P Andrés; Annemarie H Kristensen; Mark A Thompson; Wolfgang Baumann; Jean-Francois Laurent Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2017-06-20
Authors: Mucheng Xin; Pei Chen; Qiao Liang; Chengfu Yu; Shuangju Zhen; Wei Zhang Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-03-02 Impact factor: 3.390