Ego orientation is related to doping likelihood via sport supplement use and sport supplement beliefs

Abstract

A growing body of evidence suggests sport supplement use is positively related to doping likelihood, both directly and indirectly via beliefs that sport supplements are effective for improving performance. However, it is unclear what leads an athlete to use sport supplements and whether such factors play a role in the supplement-beliefs-doping relationship. To address this issue, we examined whether motivational goal orientations were related to doping likelihood directly and indirectly via sport supplement use and sport supplement beliefs. Competitive athletes (N = 362, 39% female, mean ± SD; age = 23.6 ± 10.3 years, hours per week training = 5.8 ± 2.1, years competing = 5.8 ± 5.4) from a range of sports (e.g. athletics, soccer, weightlifting) completed an online survey measuring task and ego goal orientation, sport supplement use, sport supplement beliefs, and doping likelihood. Results indicated that ego orientation, but not task orientation, was indirectly related to doping likelihood via sport supplement use and sport supplement beliefs. This suggests that athletes who are ego oriented are more likely to use supplements, believe supplements are effective, and dope. These data suggest that researchers should consider ego goal orientations when interpreting relationships between sport supplement use and doping likelihood.

Perceived Coach-Created Empowering and Disempowering Climate Effects on Athletes’ Intentions to Use Doping: The Mediational Role of Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Attitudes towards Doping

“…Prior studies showed that athletes who perceived their coach communicating that winning in sports is the most important thing (focused on ego-involving climate) were more likely to indicate a higher doping likelihood [ 31 ] and also doping use [ 8 ]. In contrast, a more task-oriented environment leads to more task-oriented players [ 47 ], and task orientation tends to be negatively related to doping likelihood [ 48 ]. However, in making these comparisons, it should be emphasized that the studies mentioned revealed links between the separate components of an empowering or disempowering climate.…”

Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire: A Mokken Scale Analysis

“…Research on the correlates of these two goal orientations has shown they are connected to a wide array of behaviors, cognitions, and beliefs. Regarding behavior, task orientation has been linked to prosocial behavior (Kavussanu, 2006), increased cooperative behavior (Lameiras et al, 2014)-in contrast, high ego orientation has been associated with antisocial behavior (Hurst et al, 2021;Kavussanu, 2006), fear of failure (Go´mez-Lo´pez et al, 2019), and decreased cooperation (Lameiras et al, 2014). In addition, a recent study of cheating in sporting settings found that acceptance of cheating correlated positively with ego orientation and negatively with task orientation, and participants who cheated were more ego-oriented and less task-oriented than others (Ring & Kavussanu, 2018).…”