tattooing and borderline personality in a group tattooing and borderline personality in a group military personnel

Abstract EN

The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of tattooing amongst a group of military personnel, and to reveal any possible relationship between tattooing and borderline personality disorder.

In 1995 more than two thousand soldiers were screened for those having tattoos.

From these, 185 with tattoos were compared with a group from the same unit who did not have tattoos but were similar in age, rank and educational background.

All the subjects were assessed using the Arabic version of the borderline personality disorder questionnaire which was derived from DSMIV.

Results showed that the mean of days of punishment in the tattooed group was twice that of the control group, with those having a borderline personality disorder having more punishment days than the remainder.

They showed also some relationship between tattoos, negative behaviour and borderline personality disorder.

We suggest that tattooed men with borderline personality disorder should not be recruited for the military.

Introduction: Self-injury behaviour (SIB) or deliberate self harm (DSH) is a common problem amongst civilians and military personnel.

Many types of (SIB) have been identified, one type being harming of the skin by tattooing other than for cultural reasons.

Tattooing occurs worldwide and has been known at least since the time of the Egyptian Pharoahs*1 In Jordan, cultural tattooing does take place in the rural areas and amongst the Bedouin but there are well-known acceptable designs for both men and women.

Medically, tattooing is an important route for infection with hepatitis viruses, leading to chronic inflammatory liver diseases, besides playing an important role in the spread of AIDS,2"6).

Dermal complications of tattooing include pyogenic infections,