We are a small group of scholars that

The Body Art Team

We are a small group of scholars that, in the Fall of 1999, began gathering data regarding college students' attitudes toward, and experiences with tattoos and body piercing. Our work is interdisciplinary. We are published in journals for sociologists, psychologists, nurses, and physicians. One of the articles received the 2002 Annual Dermatology Nurses Writers Award. We have had many requests from all over the world that our work be made available, hence, this web page. Pass the word!

One recent article concerns the removal of tattoos and body piercings. Read Article Click also to read news accounts from Reuters and ABC News

A new article brings some clarity to the relationship between Body Art and Deviance. Read Article

We have also begun to analyze survey responses from students across the country at both secular and religious universities. This project is entitled, "Religiosity, Fundamentalism, Deviance, and Body Art. Click for some Initial Findings. Click also to read an online news story about Religious Tattoos.

In addition to many local and regional media, we've been quoted/cited: Esquire Newsweek MSNBC Chicago Tribune Washington Post,
Boston Globe National Geographic Time Magazine Cosmopolitan

If you have questions about our work, or would like information about our team, email us at:

Myrna Armstrong Jerry Koch Al Roberts Donna Owen
myrna.armstrong@ttuhsc.edu jerome.koch@ttu.edu alden.roberts@ttu.edu donna.owen@ttuhsc.edu

Our Published Work:

29. Koch, Jerome R., and Alden E. Roberts. Forthcoming. "The Protestant Ethic and the Religious Tattoo." Social Science Journal. Read Final Draft

28. Nelius, Thomas, Myrna L. Armstrong, Katherine Rinard, Cathy Young, LaMicha Hogan, and Elayne Angel. 2011. "Genital Piercings: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications for Urologists." Urology 78: 998-1008. Read Article Editorial Comment and Authors' Response

27. Hogan, LaMicha, Cathy Young, Wrennah Gabbert, and Myrna L. Armstrong. 2011. “Unique predisposing factors for male urinary tract infections.” Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners 23: 525-529. Read Article

26. Rinard, Katherine, Thomas Nelius, LaMicha Hogan, Cathy Young, Alden Roberts, and Myrna Armstrong. 2010. "Cross-Sectional Study Examining Four Types of Male Penile and Unrethral 'Play.'" Urology 76: 1326-1333. Read Article

25. Hogan, LaMicha, Katherine Rinard, Cathy Young, Alden E. Roberts, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Thomas Nelius. 2010. "A Cross-Sectional Study of Men With Genital Piercings." British Journal of Medical Practitioners Volume 3, Number 2. Read Article

24. Young, Cathy, Myrna L. Armstrong, Alden E. Roberts, Inola Mello, and Elayne Angel. 2010. "A triad of evidence for the care of women with genital piercings." Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners 22(2): 70-80. Read Article

23. Koch, Jerome R., Alden E. Roberts, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Donna C. Owen. 2010. "Body Art, Deviance, and American College Students." Social Science Journal 47(1): 151-161. Read Article

22. Armstrong, Myrna L., Jana C. Saunders, and Alden E. Roberts. 2009. "Older Women and Cosmetic Tattooing Experiences." Journal of Women and Aging 21: 186-197. Read Article

21. Armstrong, Myrna L., Alden E Roberts, Jana C. Saunders, Donna C. Owen, and Jerome R. Koch. 2009. "Need for uniqueness in older women: An exploratory look." International Journal of Older People Nursing 4: 254-262. Read Article

20. Armstrong, Myrna L., Scott DeBoer, and Frank Cetta. 2008. "Infective Endocarditis After Body Art: A Review of the Literature and Concerns." Journal of Adolescent Health 43: 217-225. Read Article

19. Young, Cathy, and Myrna L. Armstrong. 2008. "What Nurses Need to Know When Caring for Women with Genital Piercings." 2008. AWHONN Lifelines. 12:130-138. Read Article

18. Armstrong, Myrna L., Alden E. Roberts, Jerome R. Koch, Jana C. Saunders, Donna C. Owen, and R. Rox Anderson. 2008. "Motivation for Contemporary Tattoo Removal: A Shift in Identity." Archives of Dermatology 144 (7): 879-884. Read Article

17. Armstrong, Myrna L., Jerome R. Koch, Jana C. Saunders, Alden E. Roberts, and Donna C. Owen. 2007. "The Hole Picture: Risks, Decision Making, Purpose, Regulations, and the Future of Body Piercing." Clinics in Dermatology. 25(4): 398-406. Read Article

16. Koch, Jerome R., Alden E. Roberts, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Donna C. Owen. 2007. "Frequencies and relations of body piercing and sexual activity in college students." Psychological Reports. 101: 159-162. Read Article

15. Armstrong, Myrna L., Alden E. Roberts, Jerome R. Koch, Jana C. Saunders, and Donna C. Owen. 2007. "Investigating the Removal of Body Piercings." Clinical Nursing Research 16: 103-118. Read Article

14. Roberts, Alden E., Jerome R. Koch, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Donna C. Owen. 2006. "Correlates of Tattoos and Reference Groups." Psychological Reports. 99: 933-934 Read Article

13. Armstrong, Myrna L., Carol Caliendo, and Alden E. Roberts. 2006. "Pregnancy, Lactation, and Intimate Body Piercings." AHWONN Lifelines. 10(3): 212-217. Read Article

12. Armstrong, Myrna L., Carol Caliendo, and Alden E. Roberts. 2006. "Genital Piercings: What is known and what people with genital piercings tell us." Urologic Nursing. 26(3): 173-180. Read Article

11. Koch, Jerome R., Alden E. Roberts, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Donna C. Owen. 2005. "College students, tattoos, and sexual activity." Psychological Reports. 97: 887-890. Read Article

10. Armstrong, Myrna L. 2005. "Tattooing, Body Piercing, and Permanent Cosmetics: A Historical and Current View of State Regulations, with Continuing Concerns." Journal of Environmental Health 8:38-43. Read Article

9. Koch, Jerome R., Alden E. Roberts, Julie Harms Cannon, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Donna C. Owen. 2005. “College Students, Tattooing, and the Health Belief Model." Sociological Spectrum 25: 79-102. Read article

8. Caliendo, Carol, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Alden E. Roberts. 2005. “Self-reported Characteristics of Women and Men with Intimate Body Piercings.” Journal of Advanced Nursing 49(5): 474-484. Read Article

7. Saunders, Jana C, and Myrna L Armstrong. 2005. "Experiences and Influences of Women With Cosmetic Tattooing." Dermatology Nursing 17(1): 23-31. Read Article

6. Koch, Jerome R., Alden E. Roberts, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Donna C. Owen. 2004. “Religious Belief and Practice in Attitudes Toward Individuals With Body Piercing." Psychological Reports 95: 583-586. Read article

5. Koch, Jerome R., Alden E. Roberts, Myrna L. Armstrong, and Donna C. Owen. 2004. “Correlations of religious belief and practice on college students’ tattoo-related behavior.” Psychological Reports 94: 425-430 Read article

4. Armstrong, Myrna L., Alden E. Roberts, Donna C. Owen, and Jerome R. Koch. 2004. “Toward Building a Composite of College Student Influences With Body Art." Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing 27: 273-291. Read Article.

3. Armstrong, Myrna L., Donna C. Owen, Alden E. Roberts, and Jerome R. Koch. 2004. “Contemporary College Students and Body Piercing.” Journal of Adolescent Health 35: 58-61. Read Article

2. Armstrong, Myrna L., Donna C. Owen, Alden E. Roberts, and Jerome R. Koch. 2002. “College Students and Tattoos: The Influence of Image, Identity, Family, and Friends.” The Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services 40(10): 20-29. Read Article

1. Armstrong, Myrna L., Donna C. Owen, Alden E. Roberts, and Jerome R. Koch. 2002.. “College Tattoos: More Than Skin Deep.” Dermatology Nursing 14(5): 317-323. (Winner of the 2002 Annual Dermatology Nurses Writers Award). Read Article

About us:

Myrna L. Armstrong, RN, Ed.D., FAAN is Professor Emerita, Texas Tech University Health Sciences
Center Anita Thigpen Perry School of Nursing. Her research and published work with tattooing and body
piercing have spanned almost 20 years; other research interests include web-based education and the impact of
Need for Uniqueness regarding health care decisions.

Jerome R. Koch, M.Div., Ph.D. is Professor of Sociology at Texas Tech University. His research interests
are related to the sociology of religion, medicine, and social deviance. Much of his published work involves
studying the social correlates of body modification, the relationship between religion and health, and the outreach
work of religious organizations.

Donna C. Owen, RN, Ph.D., AOCN is Professor of Nursing at the Anita Thigpen Perry School of Nursing,
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Her research interests are related to health risks, communication,
dementia, and geriatric nursing.   Her research approach includes both qualitative and quantitative research methods
and includes exploration of body art and health risks.

Alden E. Roberts, Ph.D., is Professor of Sociology at Texas Tech University. His research interests are statistics
and methodology, social psychology, and body modification. He has also published works on mental health, refugees
and international migration, and Native Americans.