Labeling in a Latinx Community: Public Health Implications for Youth and Role in Community Narratives

BACKGROUND: Youth of color are disproportionately subjected to negative formal and informal labels by parents, peers, and teachers. This study examined the consequences of such labels on health-protective behaviors, wellbeing, peer networks and school engagement. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 39 adolescents and 20 mothers from a predominantly Latinx and immigrant agricultural community in California. Teams of coders completed iterative rounds of thematic coding to identify and refine key themes. RESULTS: Dichotomous labeling of “good” and “bad” was pervasive. Youth labeled as “bad” experienced limited educational opportunities, exclusion from peers, and community disengagement. Additionally, preservation of “good kid” labels compromised health protective-behaviors including foregoing contraception. Participants pushed back on negative labeling when it was applied to close family or community acquaintances. DISCUSSION: Targeted interventions that foster social belonging and connection rather than exclusion may facilitate health protective behaviors and have positive implications for future trajectories among youth.