Regret among tattooed adolescents

Tattoo regret among adolescents is an important, yet understudied, process. Among the 417 tattooed adolescents in a Colorado school district, one-third express regret. Developmental theory reasons that younger persons consider a tattoo decision more emotionally, anticipate regret less, and regulate regret less effectively; therefore, more of them experience regret. Non-delinquents are more prone to regret stemming from social control via bonding, negative labels and stigma. Higher risk-taking by men explains their generally larger, more controversial, more visible tattoos. These tattoos can conflict more with changes in identity and meaning, as well as evaluations from others, so more men experience regret. Results support these predictions. Findings suggest regret is part of a more mainstream developmental trajectory for tattooed adolescents.