title: College students and tattoos. Influence of image, identity, family, and friends.
abstract: Tattoos are popular among many groups of people. College students from a large university in the southwestern United States were queried using the 134-item Armstrong Team Tattoo Attitude Survey. Findings documents a progressive increase in tattooing and reflect significant support for tattoos, even from non-tattooed students. Similar and positive demographic characteristics were present in individuals who were both non-tattooed and tattooed. In addition, tattooed people were viewed positively, even among non-tattooed respondents. Friends significantly affected procurement and possession of tattoos, whereas of all family members, the sister was the only significant influence. Overall, friends, identity, and image seem to be the major influences for obtaining tattoos.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA. myrna.armstrong@ttuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Myrna L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Donna C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Alden E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Jerome R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D015206:Southwestern United States; D013334:Students; D013653:Tattooing