Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2007
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
College of Education and Human Services
Department
Learning Sciences and Human Development
Committee Chair
Carol Markstrom.
Committee Co-Chair
Erron Huey
Committee Member
Jeong-Ju Yoo
Abstract
High-risk behavior in the domains of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, and sexual behavior were investigated in relation to tattoo presence/absence among adolescents aged 18-22 years. Adolescents' motivations to become tattooed were also explored. Participants included 400 tattooed and non-tattooed (147 male, 253 female) students at West Virginia University. Self-report questionnaires, which included items from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) as well as items derived by the investigator, were used to assess risk-taking behavior, tattoo presence/absence, and motives for obtaining/not obtaining tattoos. A significant relationship between high-risk behavior and tattooing was found using crosstabulation and chi-square analyses, and significant associations between tattoo motive and high-risk behaviors were found using independent samples t-tests and 2x2 ANOVA analyses (alpha = .05). Findings confirm previous research on tattooing and high-risk behavior and extend research on motives for tattooing.
Recommended Citation
Stickel, Tiffany Lynn, "Tattooing and high-risk behavior among adolescents" (2007). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 763.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/763