Prevalence of Anabolic Agent Awareness and Attitudes Toward Doping in Bodybuilding Gyms: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Abstract

Background and Study Aim: Non-medical use of androgenic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is still commonplace in the bodybuilding subculture, in spite of the international anti-doping campaign. Psychosocial predictors of anabolic agent’s use are awareness and attitude to doping. This paper set out to approximate the awareness of the anabolic agents, and to determine the perceived approach to doping among recreational and professional bodybuilders. Material and Methods: The design was a cross-sectional survey among males and female bodybuilders (N = 412) that were recruited in the registered bodybuilding gyms. There was a structured questionnaire based on the awareness of anabolic agents, doping attitudes, perceived risk and normative beliefs. Some of the instruments used were the adapted items in the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale and the validated psychosocial measures. The analysis was done through descriptive and inferential SPSS (v26). Results: General knowledge regarding anabolic agents was also very high (78.4%), and 41.7 percent answered that they were directly exposed to information about the use of AAS. The positive attitudes towards the act of doping were found in 29.6 percent of the respondents and its relationship with the factors of peak competitiveness (p < .01), peer approval (p < .001) and perceived health risk was relatively low (p < .01). Multivariate regression indicated that 38% of the pro-doping attitudes were explained. Conclusion: Such awareness does not correlate with deterrence since social normalization at gym cultures is a power predictor of tolerant views toward doping. Prevention of this situation should go beyond information efforts in order to help communities of bodybuilders to confront social norms and ethical reasoning.