CHSJ

Curr Health Sci J, vol. 51, no. 4, 2025

A Pilot Study of a Cognitive-Behavioral and Meaning-Centered Intervention to Mitigate Doping-Related Distress

[Original Paper]

C. COLITA(1), L. ZAGREAN(2), D. COLITA(1), A. POPA-WAGNER(3)


(1)Doctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania;
(2)University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania;
(3)Chair of Vascular Neurology and Dementia, Medical School Essen, Germany


Abstract:

Background: Doping experiences and related suspicions can produce lasting psychological distress in athletes, including anxiety, guilt, and depressive symptoms. Addressing these consequences requires interventions that combine cognitive-behavioral strategies with meaning-centered techniques to promote emotional recovery and ethical self-reflection. Methods: This pilot study evaluated a cognitive-behavioral and meaning-centered intervention designed to reduce anxiety and depression among athletes affected by doping-related distress. Thirty-nine current or former Romanian athletes participated in a six-session program integrating cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and exercises focused on purpose and self-transcendence. Standardized measures of anxiety, depression, and meaning in sports were administered before and after the intervention. Results: Higher baseline levels of meaning and purpose in sports were negatively correlated with both depression and anxiety. Pre-post comparisons showed a small reduction in anxiety and a moderate reduction in depression, alongside a small increase in meaning and values/spirituality in sport, as reflected by effect sizes. All psychometric measures demonstrated high internal consistency. Network analyses identified central items within each scale at pretest and posttest. Conclusions: A meaning-centered cognitive-behavioral framework may enhance resilience, promote ethical awareness, and support psychological recovery in athletes experiencing doping-related distress. These preliminary results encourage further controlled studies to confirm efficacy and refine the integration of meaning-oriented techniques in sports psychology interventions.


Keywords: Meaning-centered intervention, cognitive-behavioral therapy, doping, athletes, anxiety, depression, resilience.



Corresponding: Daniela Colia, Doctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila", Bucharest, Romania, e-mail: danielacolita@gmail.com


DOI 10.12865/CHSJ.51.04.08 - Download PDF
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