the moral reasoning of student athletes and athletic training students

Savulescu, Foddy, & Clayton, 2004). Researchers report mixed findings as to how many high
school, college, elite, and professional athletes actually dope and at what point they are coerced
or choose to begin doping (Bahrke & Yesalis, 2004; Catlin & Murray, 1996; Eichner, 1997;
Honour, 2004; Noakes, 2004; Perry et. al., 2005). Generally, only high profile athletes suspected
of drug use surface in the news, again making it difficult to determine the extent of use. For
example, the BALCO, Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, doping scandals (USA Today, 2007)
have exposed numerous high profile collegiate, elite, and professional athletes. However, efforts
to exactly identify the extend of doping seems to be a futile task. While a considerable number of
survey studies have been conducted at all levels of sport concerning athlete doping, the validity
of the data is reliant on self report measures of which athletes have a self interest in
underreporting use.
The Moral Reasoning of Athletic Training Students
A second population for this study is athletic training students. These students are
studying with certified athletic trainers to work with athlete populations as health care
professionals. Certified athletic trainers are allied health care professionals charged with the
prevention, care and rehabilitation of injuries to active populations. Often times, certified athletic
trainers attend to the psychological and emotional needs of their athletes as well as their physical
needs. Certified athletic trainers often serve as the first line of education with regards to all issues
about which athletes are curious, particularly issues that can and do potentially affect their
performances, including performance enhancing substances. Athletic training students have a
relationship unique to that of the certified athletic trainers. During their clinical experiences they
are expected to serve student athletes as medical professionals in training. They also have a
completely separate relationship with student athletes as peers, classmates and friends outside of
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