Do young women with tattoos have lower self-esteem and body image than their peers without tattoos? A non-verbal repertory grid technique approach.

Semion Kertzman,Omer Hegedish,Rina Lapidus,Abraham Weizman,Alex Kagan,Iratxe Puebla

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0206411

Abstract

Available evidence regarding the reasons for people to acquire body markers such as tattoos is contradictory. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and body image in young women with tattoos. To this end, the repertory grid technique (RGT) was adapted and used to assess differences between women with and without tattoos in terms of self-esteem and body image. Sixty young women with tattoos and sixty young women without (all aged 18–35 years), performed the Color RGT in order to evaluate the relationship between self-esteem and body image. Compared to women without tattoos, women with tattoos showed significantly lower self-esteem and displayed stronger relationships between three constructs: ideal body, ideal self and tattooed woman status. No significant differences in body image were detected between the two groups. Women with tattoos were characterized by an association between body image and self-esteem, while women without tattoos did not display such a correlation. Thus, it appears that links between self-esteem, ideal body, ideal self and constructs of "woman with tattoos" may play a role in tattooing behavior in young women.

Highlights

The popularity of tattoos within Western culture is rapidly increasing, and tattooing behavior has become more accepted
The distance between the present and ideal self was significantly higher in the group with tattoos (12.37±8.83) than in the non-tattooed one (8.73±6.65), indicating that the level of self-esteem of women with tattoos is lower as compared to women without tattoos (T = -2.55; df = 118; p = .012)
A higher association was detected between the three constructs: "ideal body" image, "ideal self" and "woman with tattoos"

Summary

Introduction

The popularity of tattoos within Western culture is rapidly increasing, and tattooing behavior has become more accepted. This may be related to celebrities and sport icons with tattoos appearing on television shows and in magazines. Self-esteem and body image in tattooed women provide any financial support for this study in any form. Neither did Anima Scan Ltd. play a role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion