Body Modification and Self-Destructive Behavior in Adolescents: Psychological Manifestations

Abstract

People change their bodies because of many reasons over many thousand years. Tattoo, piercing, and other types of body modifications have found a new life now. In present-day societies, tattoos and piercing are associated with risky behavior, alcohol and drug use in adolescents. The purpose of the study is to study the psychological manifestations of body modification and self-destructive behavior in adolescents. 86 boys and girls aged 14 to 18 attending socio-rehab center were examined by Mini-Mult (SMOL) and SOP questionnaires. It was revealed that body modifications in them are accompanied by tendencies to the use of alcohol, soft drugs and other psychoactive substances and by tendencies to different types of aggressive and autoaggressive behaviour. Adolescents who have body modifications are emotionally more unstable.

Psychic States Connection and Coping-Strategies of College Students in Different Life Situations

“…During last decades the number of research works concerning psychic states in different situations and kinds of activity ( [1], [2], [3], [4], [6]), their structural components ( [5], [7], [8]), semantic spheres ( [5]), mental representations of the state image ( [4]) has considerably increased. It is conditioned by the fact that psychic states fulfill integrating role in psyche organization, provide connection between psychic processes and personal features, unity of physiological, physical and psychic functioning.…”