1. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS ON
DOPING IN SPORTS BASED ON
SURVEY RESULTS (PEAS) OF
YOUNG ATHLETES
TYLER A. WEAVER
PHE 800
11/26/2013

2. 

Doping has been around for centuries. Some ate brains,
hearts and livers of animals, while others consumed figs,
wine, cheese, and even mushrooms to later improve their
performance at their Olympic Games as far back as 3
B.C.
Stimulants were added to alcohol in the Roman era to
help gladiators recover more quickly from fatigue and
injuries. .

3. The IOC
published the
first list of doping
classes in 1967.
 Athletes are encouraged to stand for fair play and
health. It is the rules and laws which are violated
when performance enhancing drugs are used and it
becomes clear that doping is cheating and cheating is
against the rules of all sport.

4. Doping is defined as the use of a drug or blood product to
artificially enhance physical performance.
Stimulants (4)
Steroids (12)
Other (6)
Amphetamines
Anavar
Dianabol
Clomid
Clenbuterol
Andriol
Equipoise
Creatine
Ephedra
The Clear
Primobolan
EPO
Modafinil
The Cream
Prohormones
HCG
Deca Durabolin
Stanozolol
Human Growth Hormone
Depo-Testosterone
Testosterone
IGF-1 Insulin

5. When performance-enhancing drugs have the
power to affect the physical well-being of the
athletes, and defy the law of natural talent, it is
then that doping poses the greatest threat to
the athlete and to the moral integrity of the
true spirit of the sport
Athletes should be made aware of the
consequences that result from
participation in the doping practices
found in the sports industry.
.

6. PROBLEM
The problem is that
even though most
young athletes will
admit that doping
is dishonest,
unhealthy and
risky, would they
sacrifice it all for
the “thrill of
victory” and use
banned substances
to improve their
performance?

8. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Focus of this study:
To survey middle school, high school and
college athletes to determine the attitude of
each group from the responses that would
indicate the age group’s willingness to use
banned substances to improve their
performance.

9. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS/QUESTIONS
Why dope?
Does doping compromise the sense of fair
play and good sportsmanship?
At what cost to future young athletes or the
spirit of the sport are these young athletes
willing to sacrifice for the “thrill of victory”?
 It was hypothesized that the middle school and
high school students would respond differently
than the college aged athlete.

10. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS/ASSUMPTIONS
Operational Definitions
 The independent variable is the three different age groups of athletes:
 The dependent variable is the scores on the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale.
 The population of the study is middle school, high school, and college athletes in
Richmond, KY and Fresno, CA.
Assumptions
In the research, background knowledge of the content
being studied is assumed. A strong foundation of
knowledge is required to build on variables that affect
the outcomes of data being collected.

11. LIMITATIONS/DELIMITATIONS
Limitations
 Sample of male athletes
 Three separate levels and
facilities representing
secondary education
ranging from middle
school athletes to college
athletes.
 Number of participants
that drop out
 Participates do not answer
the survey questions
honestly, is based on the
sensitivity of the questions.
Delimitations
 Only male athletes
 Age
 Various sports and
educational levels
 Regions
 Data collection was
completed between
September and October of
2013.

12. DESCRIPTION OF PARTICIPANTS
The instrument for this research study was given to a total population of 180 participants
made up of middle school, high school, and college aged male student athletes.
 Group A or the experimental group for the pilot study
90 male student participants
 Group B or the control group for the actual study
90 male student participants

The population in each group will consist of:
90 male student athletes made up of three specific aged groups of athletes

13. DESCRIPTION OF PARTICIPANTS
CONT.
was made up of 90 male student athletes from Richmond, KY.
 The experimental group who participated in the pilot study was made of 90 male student
athletes from the Clovis Diving Club (60 participants), Clovis, CA, and Fresno State
University student athletes (30 participants) from Fresno, CA.
Permission for the athletes under the age of
eighteen years was secured through a letter
of explanation to the parents giving them the
opportunity to sign a refusal to participate.

14. DESCRIPTION OF PARTICIPANTS
CONT.
 The same version of the letter was given to parents with optional wording such
as school/club or teacher/coach from which to choose.
 An informed consent form was given to all participants so as to understand
their involvement, the purpose of the study, their anonymity, and recourse if
concerns arise following the completion of the study or during that would
negate their participation at the time of the administration of the instrument.
 All participants were informed of the purpose of the study and that
participation was not only voluntary, but anonymous.
 No elite athletes were chosen for the purpose of this particular study.

15. INSTRUMENT (RELIABILITY/VALIDITY)
 The instrument selected to be used to survey the participants in this
study is the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale (PEAS).
Petroczi and Aidman (2009) developed a seventeen item Performance
Enhancement Attitude Scale (PEAS) to understand participants’
attitudes and perceptions toward doping/performance enhancing
drugs (PED).

16. PROCEDURES

17.  It was hypothesized that the middle school and high school students
would respond differently than the college aged athlete.
 Even though the main independent variable was the use of 3 different
age groups, there seemed to be no significant difference in their
responses.
 Similar results were obtained from the control group as well.
 Therefore, the hypothesis was not proven as there seemed to be no
significant differences in the responses from the 3 different age groups.