Parental Pressure Can Drive Young Male Athlete to Start Dopin, Study Reveals

It is normal for parents to want their children to excel in everything, may it be in academics or in sports. However, a recent study has revealed that young male athletes who feel pressured by their parents to be good at something are at a higher risk of using illegal substance to keep their energy up.

According to BBC, doping happens when players take prohibited substance to gain more advantage. These drugs include steroids and stimulants to boost their athletic ability. Researchers at the University of Kent in England asked 129 young athletes around the age of 17 about what they think of doping. They were also asked about their opinion on the four different types of perfectionism which are parental pressure, self-striving, concerns about committing errors, and pressure from coach. The results revealed that only parental pressure was directly connected to young athletes having positive feelings on doping.

US News reported that these substances which are usually called performance-enhancing drugs have properties that can alter the human body and how it functions. Researchers also said that they pose a serious threat to the health of the one using it.

The study which was published in the Journal of Sports Sciences is the very first kind of research which studied about what young athletes are going through. Researchers of the study said that the athlete's response to doping is more influenced by their parents than anyone else.

Daniel Madigan, who is a PhD student, said: "The problem of pressure from parents watching their children play sports is widely known, with referees and sporting bodies highlighting the difficulties and taking steps to prevent it." He added saying that with the continuous rise of the so-called "tiger" parenting, children are more pressured and push themselves too hard to meet the demands their parents expect from them. Madigan also said that the study shows the price young athletes pay just to meet their parents' expectations and dreams, sciencedaily.com reported.