Description
Introduction. Despite significant efforts to prevent doping in sport, the problem of doping remains, and there is a need to develop and evaluate effective doping prevention programs. In our previous research, we found that three variables, namely, moral identity, moral disengagement, and pro-doping team norms (also termed moral atmosphere) were associated with athletes’ doping likelihood. However, no study has intervened on these variables.Objectives. Our aim was to develop an intervention that targeted these three variables and to determine whether it is more effective in preventing doping than a standard educational (i.e., knowledge-based) intervention, which we also developed; our primary outcome was doping likelihood, and our secondary outcomes were moral identity, moral disengagement, pro-doping team norms, and anticipated guilt for doping.
Methods: First, we developed the two interventions, each consisting of six sessions. Then, we recruited athletes (N = 303) from a variety of individual and team sports, in the UK and Greece. Participants were identified via a large screening survey (N = 980). They belonged to sport clubs, which had scored on average 2 or more on our measure of doping likelihood. We randomly assigned 33 clubs to either the psychosocial or the educational intervention and we delivered the interventions to athletes in a group setting, over a period of six to eight weeks. We measured outcomes pre- and postintervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-up.
Results: Athletes in both interventions in both countries reported lower doping likelihood and moral disengagement and higher anticipated guilt for doping, from pre- to postintervention. Importantly, these effects were maintained three and six months later. There were no intervention effects on moral identity or moral atmosphere.
Conclusions: In addition to disseminating information about doping, doping prevention programs should include content that targets moral identity, moral disengagement, and pro-doping team norms.
| Period | 22 Sept 2022 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 2022 WADA Global Education Conference |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Sydney, AustraliaShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |