The Interplay between Trait Anxiety and Stigma Against Tattoos: The Indirect Effect of Humor

Tattoos are becoming increasingly prevalent in recent years, with more than 20% of the population having at least one. The present study examined the effect of trait anxiety on tattoo-related stigma and the indirect effect of humor on this relationship. We used a convenience sample comprising 402 female participants aged 19 to 72 (M = 32.35, SD = 7.56). Our results suggested that higher anxiety was associated with lower humor, which was further associated with higher tattoo-related stigma. Humor had a significant indirect effect on the link between trait anxiety and tattoo-related stigma when controlling for participants' tattoo status (i.e., participants with or without a tattoo). When controlling for participants' age, the mediating effect of humor did not remain significant. We discuss the practical implications of the present results concerning potential interventions to reduce stigma against people with tattoos.