Promoting anti-doping behaviors through group norms: understanding the role of team identity among adolescent athletes

Background While anti-doping education programs have expanded globally, their effectiveness in collectivist cultural contexts remains poorly understood. Existing research has largely focused on individual-level psychological factors, overlooking how group-level social dynamics interact to shape health behaviors in intensive team-based training environments where both normative pressures and identity processes operate simultaneously. Objective To examine whether and how group norms influence anti-doping behaviors among Chinese adolescent amateur athletes, and to test team identity as a potential mediating mechanism in this relationship. Methods Cross-sectional survey of 1,718 adolescent athletes (mean age 18 years) from sports schools across 15 Chinese cities. Structural equation modeling tested direct effects of group norms on anti-doping behaviors and indirect effects through team identity as a mediator. Results Group norms were strongly associated with anti-doping behaviors ( β = 0.54, p < 0.001). However, team identity exhibited a negative mediating pattern in this association (indirect effect = −0.194, accounting for 35.8% of total effect), revealing a paradox: while anti-doping norms show a positive association with healthy behaviors, the concurrent strengthening of team identity is statistically associated with an attenuation of this relationship. This negative mediation suggests that team-level interest coalitions can create conflicting pressures that complicate health promotion efforts in sports settings. Conclusion This study identifies a dual-pathway social mechanism through which group norms and team identity jointly shape adolescent athletes’ anti-doping behaviors in collectivist sports settings. From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that anti-doping education programs should move beyond individual-focused knowledge delivery and explicitly incorporate team-level strategies, such as shaping shared norms, engaging peer leaders, and aligning team identity with health and ethical values. Interventions that strengthen team cohesion without addressing underlying performance-driven identity pressures may be insufficient or counterproductive. These findings provide actionable guidance for designing culturally adapted anti-doping education programs that leverage group norms while managing the potential risks associated with strong team identification.