ERIC Number: EJ899610
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Dec
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1544-0389
EISSN: N/A
Female Athletes and Performance-Enhancer Usage
Fralinger, Barbara K.; Pinto-Zipp, Genevieve; Olson, Valerie; Simpkins, Susan
Journal of College Teaching & Learning, v4 n12 p33-44 Dec 2007
The purpose of this study was to develop a knowledge base on factors associated with performance-enhancer usage among female athletes at the high school level in order to identify markers for a future prevention-education program. The study used a pretest-only, between-subjects Likert Scale survey to rank the importance of internal and external pressures that may lead to performance-enhancer usage among this population. Subjects included 122 female athletes from top-ranked sport programs at 7 New Jersey high schools. Descriptive and quantitative statistics were used to analyze the data at a p less than or equal to 0.05 significance level. The Chi Square Test of Homogeneity, Spearman Correlation Coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis One-Way ANOVA, and Scheffe Post-Hoc Test were used to analyze associations between the nine survey issues and five levels of importance. Results indicated that subjects rated the pressure to win and self-induced competitive pressures as the two most important factors in leading to performance-enhancer usage. Chi-Square results showed significant differences in the level of importance for each of the nine issues presented, while the Spearman Correlation revealed several correlations among certain issues. The Kruskal-Wallis One-Way ANOVA showed significant differences in ranks when data were grouped by school and sport. Post-Hoc analysis supported findings of the Kruskal-Wallis One-Way ANOVA. This study provided descriptive and quantitative data that added to the existing research. The findings may be used by health educators and athletic coaches for performance-enhancer prevention-education programs. (Contains 2 figures and 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Prevention, Athletes, Likert Scales, Athletic Coaches, Drug Abuse, Females, High School Students, Correlation, Stress Variables, Competition, Health Behavior, Health Promotion, Self Concept, Social Attitudes, Athletics
Clute Institute. P.O. Box 620760, Littleton, CO 80162. Tel: 303-904-4750; Fax: 303-978-0413; e-mail: Staff@CluteInstitute.com; Web site: http://www.cluteinstitute.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: High Schools
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Jersey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A