This research about tattoos and personality was recently published in the journal Personality and Mental Health.
What Tattoos Reveal about Personality
Psychiatrists from the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry studied 36 male inpatients, and found a link between tattoos and antisocial personality disorder. Further, these psychiatrists found that suicide attempts, substance abuse, and sexual abuse may be more common in forensic psychiatric inpatients with tattoos.
"Our findings suggest that forensic psychiatric inpatients with tattoos are significantly more likely to suffer from antisocial personality disorder than those without tattoos, and patients with antisocial personality disorder were also significantly more likely to have higher numbers of tattoos, a larger percentage of their body covered with tattoos, and tended to have tattoos in more visible locations" said lead researcher Dr. William Cardasis of the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry. "I hope that this provides clues for clinicians to look for ASPD in forensic psychiatric patients with tattoos, and also to look for signs of suicide attempt, substance abuse, and sexual abuse."
"One should keep in mind that the population studied was only a small segment of the population, and not indicative of what may or may not be relevant in the general population," added Cardasis. "Other interesting questions which this research raises include whether adolescents with tattoos are more likely to conduct disorder than those without, and what effect the meaning and subject content of the tattoo has."
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of empathy and remorse, a low tolerance for anxiety, and shallowness. People with antisocial personality disorder prefer action to thought. Lying, cheating, stealing, physical aggression and drug abuse are also linked to people with antisocial personality disorder.
Why Women Regret Getting Tattoos but Men Don’t
New research shows that women face more social stigma than men regarding tattoos. Women with tattoos are more likely to have them removed because of embarrassment, body image, or career concerns.
Researchers from Texas Tech University found that women with tattoos are more than twice as likely to have them removed (as compared to men with tattoos). Most women are happy with tattoos when they get them, but their feelings changed within the next one to five years.
In this study, women found that tattoos began to cause embarrassment, and stopped being a source of uniqueness. Women with tattoos often have to hide them, which limits clothing options and increases feelings of self-consciousness.
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Source of tattoos, personality traits, and antisocial personality disorder research: “Psychiatric Forensic Patients With Tattoos More Likely To Have Antisocial Personality Disorder.” ScienceDaily.
Source of women regretting tattoos research: “Think Before You Ink: Women More Likely Than Men to Regret, Remove Tattoos.” CNN Health News.
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen - Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen is a full-time writer and blogger in Vancouver, BC, and the creator of the Quips and Tips blog series.
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