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The organizational commitment of volunteers has been recognized as essential for the effective management of community-based sport. Despite this, little is known about the nature of sport volunteer commitment and, more specifically, its dimensionality and targets. This study developed measures of sport volunteer commitment within a framework of multiple dimensions of commitment and multiple targets of commitment to three organizational targets in the sport volunteering setting: the organization (in this context, the athletic center), the volunteer work team, and the volunteer role. Drawing on Meyer and Herscovitch's (2001) general commitment model, we adapted measures from previous work of Engelberg, Skinner, and Zakus (2006) of commitment to each of these targets and tested the proposed model using partial least squares regression (PLS) modeling. Results provided support for a two-dimensional model within and across each of the targets, and also showed that the measures had adequate discriminant validity and reliability. Implications for research on volunteer commitment in sport organizations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coaches may have a significant role in an athlete's decision to use, or not to use, performance enhancing substances. Research suggests that many coaches do not have the confidence or the knowledge to discuss anti-doping issues with their athletes. This study aimed to assess coaches' awareness of doping practices, coaches' knowledge of anti-doping control systems (random testing, out of competition testing, the biological passport and the athlete whereabouts system) and coaches' involvement with anti-doping education for their athletes. Individual interviews were conducted with 19 elite or professional level coaches representing the sports of basketball, cricket, hockey, soccer, rowing, ski cross, taekwondo, swimming and triathlon. The findings suggest that although many coaches personally know doping athletes, few believe that athletes will ever be tested. Knowledge of anti-doping control systems, specifically the biological passport and the whereabouts system was very poor. Coaches rarely discuss doping themes with their athletes or other coaches. Taken together these findings paint a worrying picture of the state of coaches' knowledge of doping and their commitment to anti-doping education and awareness. While anti-doping education must become a standard part of the coaching education process, this should be backed with strict compliance legislation that obliges coaches to take part in continuous education and provide proof that they provide preventive measures for their athletes. Additionally, a professional development plan to ensure that knowledge remains accurate and current may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have higher rates of chronic disease and a lower life expectancy than non-Indigenous Australians. In non-urban areas these health disparities are even larger. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore perceived barriers and enablers to attending an eight-week physical activity program in a rural and regional setting which aimed to improve health outcomes, but had a low attendance rate. Methods: Thirty-four Indigenous Australians participated in the intervention from the rural (n = 12) and the regional (n = 22) community. Qualitative semi-structured individual interviews were conducted at the follow-up health assessments with 12 participants. A thematic network analysis was undertaken to examine the barriers and enablers to participation in the program. Results: Overall, there were positive attitudes to, and high levels of motivation towards, the physical activity program. Enablers to participation were the inclusion of family members, no financial cost and a good relationship with the principal investigator, which was strengthened by the community-based participatory approach to the program design. Barriers to program attendance were mostly beyond the control of the individuals, such as 'sorry business', needing to travel away from the community and lack of community infrastructure. Conclusions: More consideration is needed prior to implementation of programs to understand how community- specific barriers and enablers will affect attendance to the program. Trial registration: ACTRN12616000497404. Registered 18 April 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Surveys of the perceived incidence of doping in sport suggest that such behaviour is relatively common. Perceptions may potentially be of greater significance than actual incidence: athletes who believe that other athletes are doping may be more likely to engage in such practices, potentially creating a damaging self-fulfilling prophecy. Design A cross-sectional study examines the effects of age (range 12–17 years), gender and involvement in sport (elite athletes and non-athletes) on the perceived incidence of doping. A measure of moral functioning was included as a covariate. Methods 312 participants were asked to estimate the incidence of doping in elite sport, to name a sport they believed in which doping was most prevalent, and to complete a short survey assessing level of moral functioning and demographic characteristics. Results The overall estimated incidence of doping was 28.8%, with athletics, weightlifting and cycling named as the sports in which doping was perceived to be most prevalent. Perceived incidence data were analysed using a 3 (age group: 12–13, 14–15, 16–17) × 2 (gender) × 2 involvement in elite sport (non-athletes, elite athletes) ANACOVA, with the covariate of moral functioning. There were significant effects of both age group and gender on estimates of doping. Involvement in sport was not linked to perceived incidence. There was a significant (negative) relationship between moral functioning and estimates of doping. Conclusions Findings are discussed in relation to the potential diffusion of doping behaviours and the content of anti-doping initiatives, such as attempting to counter doping through teaching the ‘morality of sport’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: An implicit rationale for anti-doping legislation is that doping damages the public image of sport and that this, in turn, has serious consequences for the sporting industry. However, there is scant evidence that doping impacts on public opinion, and even less so that it has dire consequences for sports consumerism. This study sought to fill a void in public policy debate by canvassing public opinion on a range of anti-doping policies and practices. Methods: A representative sample of the Australian public ( n == 2520) responded to a telephone survey with questions on performance enhancing and illicit drug use. Findings: The majority agreed that clubs should be penalized if athletes were found to use drugs and that companies and government should stop sponsoring athletes who have been using drugs. Opinion was split on the issue of whether performance-enhancing drug use should be criminalized (slight majority in favour). Conclusions: These results show that the Australian public support anti-doping measures. As anti-doping initiatives become more widespread, invasive and costly, policy makers will need to ensure that anti-doping legislation maintains strong public support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests just over half of all suspects interviewed inside a police station will either confess or make damaging admissions. Surprisingly, police interviewing tactics appear to have only a limited effect on the decision making of suspects. Instead, the strongest predictor of a confession is the strength of evidence against the accused. This paper examines the links between strength of evidence and the outcome of interviews. Data is drawn from previously published studies of police interviewing practices in the USA, UK, and Australia. This review shows how when evidence is strong prior to questioning, such as a suspect having being found in possession of stolen goods, then confessions are the most likely outcome. However, some apparently strong forms of evidence, such as testimony from police officers, can be used inappropriately making confessions less likely. The findings are discussed in relation to training in investigative interviewing skills and investigative practices. The paper also identifies a need for research into the conditions which give rise to true confessions, as opposed to a contemporary focus on the conditions that can result in false confessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child witnesses often give only short accounts of witnessed events. Part of the reason for this failing centres on the stress present during an interview. The most obvious means of reducing stress in children, through the provision of social support, has typically been neglected in eyewitness research, presumably because of fears over children s excessive suggestibility. Social support is also believed to inhibit children during interviews. However, these fears appear to stem more from general suspicions about children's competencies rather than empirical findings. Studies are described which show that child witnesses express a strong desire for social support, and that support may be provided in a number of different ways, from peers as well as adults. It is argued that social support is one of the most unfairly neglected issues in eyewitness research, and the minimal evidence available suggests that allowing support may have a facilitative effect on task performance, including free-recall memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]