Pathways to Risky Behavior: Perfectionism, Doping Intention, and Moral Disengagement Among Elite Athletes
| Author | Mojtaba Ahmadi | en |
| Author | Mohsen Jadidi | en |
| Author | Iman Safaei | en |
| Author | Malihe Manouchehri Nasab | en |
| Orcid | Mojtaba Ahmadi [0000-0002-6341-2665] | en |
| Orcid | Mohsen Jadidi [0000-0002-7472-3127] | en |
| Orcid | Iman Safaei [0000-0002-3908-215X] | en |
| Orcid | Malihe Manouchehri Nasab [0009-0005-8415-0077] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-09-30 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Doping is a major risky behavior, ethical concern, and health threat in competitive sports. Psychological factors have been associated with athletes’ susceptibility to and intention to engage in doping; however, evidence regarding the cognitive and moral processes underlying these associations among elite athletes remains limited. Objectives: This study examined indirect association of moral disengagement in relationship between perfectionism and doping intentions among elite Iranian athletes. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among 251 elite Iranian athletes. Data were collected using validated questionnaires assessing perfectionism, moral disengagement, and doping intention. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted using SmartPLS. Results: Perfectionism was positively associated with doping intention (r = 0.67, P < 0.001). In the structural model, perfectionism was significantly associated with moral disengagement (β = 0.59, P < 0.001) and with doping intention (β = 0.28, P < 0.001). Moral disengagement was also positively associated with doping intention (β = 0.70, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings support a significant cross-sectional indirect association between perfectionism and doping intention via moral disengagement. However, given the cross-sectional design, these findings should not be interpreted as evidence of causal pathways. Longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to clarify the temporal relationships. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/ijhrba-173638 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/ijhrba/articles/173638 | en |
| Keyword | Doping Intentions | en |
| Keyword | Elite Athletes | en |
| Keyword | Moral Disengagement | en |
| Keyword | Perfectionism | en |
| Keyword | Risky Behaviour | en |
| Keyword | Sports Ethics | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | Pathways to Risky Behavior: Perfectionism, Doping Intention, and Moral Disengagement Among Elite Athletes | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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