Using the prototype willingness model to predict doping in sport

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports 2014-10, Vol.24 (5), p.e398-e405
• Main Authors: Whitaker, L., Long, J., Petróczi, A., Backhouse, S. H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; anti-doping education; Athletes; Athletes - psychology; Attitude; Doping in Sports - prevention & control; Doping in Sports - psychology; Drugs & sports; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Models, Psychological; Perception; Perceptions; performance-enhancing substances; Performance-Enhancing Substances - therapeutic use; possible selves; prevention; Social Norms; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0905-7188; 1600-0838
• DOI: 10.1111/sms.12148

To enable preventive measures to be designed, it is important to identify modifiable distal and proximal factors underlying doping behavior. This study investigated aspects of the prototype willingness model in relation to doping. A cross‐sectional study was conducted involving 729 competitive athletes. Following ethical approval, athletes (mean age = 28.8 ± 10.1 years; 63% male) completed an online questionnaire, which assessed doping‐related attitudes, norms, prototype perceptions, outcome expectancies, and behavioral willingness. Using hierarchical multiple regression analysis, 54.4% of the total variance in willingness to dope was explained. Specifically, past doping, attitudes, and favorability of performance enhancing substance user prototypes were the strongest unique predictors of willingness to dope. Athletes appeared most willing to dope if they were to suffer an injury, a dip in performance, or think others are doping and getting away with it. National‐level athletes displayed significantly greater willingness to dope (Kruskal‐Wallis γ2 = 35.9, P