Questionnaire-based study on knowledge and attitudes towards doping and social drugs in Spanish adolscent athletes and non-athletes

Background: Since prevention is the best strategy in the battle against doping, it is of vital importance to assess on one hand the knowledge and attitudes of potential users of banned substances and on the other hand the acquisition of such attitudes along their career. This study arises from the request of collaboration made by the Griffith University (Australia) in order to compare the results between the two countries. Objectives: To explore and evaluate the attitudes and knowledge of the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and recreational drugs among 12 to 17 years old in Spain and the influencing factors. Methods: Cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaire to non-athletes and athletes between 12 and 17, after signing the parental informed consent. The questionnaire is based on the 'Performance Enhancement Scale'. A descriptive and univariate analysis were performed considering statistical significance at p<0.05. Results: 339 questionnaires (129 athletes and 210 non-athletes) were collected. 11.2% reported knowing athletes in their sport and age year using PEDs and 5% reported having been offered these substances. 12.3% stated using or having used sports supplements and 5.4% PEDs, with no significant differences between athletes and non-athletes (p>0.05). Athletes who expressed to use or have used PEDs or an intention to use them, were more likely to engage in some of the studied moral-disengagement mechanisms (p