Mentoring without labels
In SOCY350: Juvenile Delinquency, we focused on the differences between adult and juvenile crime, including causes, prevention strategies, and overall rates. As most sociology classes are fundamentally based on theory, within the first few classes of the semester we focused on the theories behind juvenile crime and why juvenile crime is studied separately from adult crime. We discussed popular criminological theories such as the routine activities theory, the anomie theory, and labeling theory. The latter being the most intriguing to me because it was the easiest to understand but also the most applicable to my life experiences. Professor Daou explained that labeling theory is explains that juvenile delinquency is caused by labels being assigned to juveniles who engage in certain acts. These children are labeled as deviant after committing certain behaviors, and thus the children start to believe that these labels truly define them. An example of this is seen in Artifact 1, my Infographic Project in SOCY350 that discusses the relationship between juvenile recidivism rates and labeling theory. Though deviance isn’t necessarily assigned to one specific behavior, it is all due to social constructs how these labels of deviance are created. One child may be considered to be deviant for taking part in the same act as another child who was not labeled as deviant. Professor Daou explained how harmful labels are to juveniles specifically, as they can reinforce existing low self-worth, they can cause stigma, and they are associated with increased criminal behavior among those who are assigned them.
As Professor Daou spoke, I thought back to an experience I had the previous year. I was lucky enough to come across the USC AMPED Mentorship program in the Department of Psychology during the previous spring semester. This semester-long program focuses on promoting academic and behavioral wellness for middle schoolers through a standardized approach. Through this program I was matched with an at-risk seventh grader at a local middle school. I was tasked with prepping materials for seven sessions with this student, focusing on helping them achieve academic and behavioral success through forming a positive relationship with them. As began meeting with this student, I was able to tailor our sessions towards her needs as opposed to having a more general session each time. I was able to form a close relationship with this student, which allowed me to give them advice and feedback without seeming like an authoritative figure. I was able to see that our sessions together meant a great deal to this student, and motivated them to improve both academically and socially.
Artifact 1. SOCY350 project that explains the relationship between Labeling Theory and recidivism rates of juveniles.
During our sessions together, I was able to see the effects of labeling theory play out in real-life. Though I had some prior knowledge on this student’s background, including why they were considered to be at-risk, the student also confided in me during our sessions. They explained to me that many of their behavioral issues stemmed from growing up in a household in which they were the younger, problematic child. Because of the treatment they received at home, they began acting out in school at a young age. Though their actions stemmed from treatment at home and not from true delinquency, they were labeled as delinquent at a very young age. This label stuck. They were known as the “bad kid” by many of their peers and teachers, and they often found joy in living up to this “expectation” that they would be bad during school. Though they didn’t truly enjoy being bad, because they had been labeled as the “bad kid” for so long, it just felt natural to them. After being expelled from a previous school for their behavior, they felt exiled from their current school because of the label being placed on them. They confided in me that they had greater ambitions in life than being the “bad kid,” as they truly longed for a friend group as they saw other students having. They felt like that they fulfill this label they had been given because they didn’t feel that they would ever truly break away from it.
Using the curriculum provided by the AMPED program, I used motivational interviewing during the sessions with the student. Together we discussed creating and accomplishing goals both academically and personally, an example of this is laid out in Artifact 2. Starting with growing the student’s motivation to change, later sessions focused on the student’s commitment to change. I helped the student set goals she valued, many of which were centered around development of friendships and further engagement in hobbies they had. We worked towards changing their self-image with the hopes that they would no longer feel the external pressure of living up to the labels given to them by others.
Seeing labeling theory have such significant impacts on this student was heartbreaking, to put it lightly. I found it devastating that a child with such potential was having their self-esteem and self-image ruined by a label assigned to them as a young child. The experience I had with this student allowed me to understand the impact that labels can have on everyone, no matter their age.
Artifact 2. Example lesson plan from week 3 of the AMPED mentoring program; the topic for this week is goal setting.
As several semesters have passed since my participation in the AMPED program, my behavior in my everyday life has significantly changed. I am careful to not assign labels to my friends or peers, as I now understand the long-term impact that they can have on anyone. Knowing that labels can encourage poor self-esteem and negative behavior change, I am careful to ever tell someone that they are always associated with a behavior or feeling, positive or negative. Even when friends exhibit distinct behaviors, I make careful choices with my words and reactions in the hopes that they don’t internalize any label given to them. I often think back to this student and how the words of others can so deeply impact self-image and future outcomes. Making careful decisions about my language is important to maintaining relationships and uplifting my friends and peers in the best way I can. Self-image is incredibly crucial to an increased quality of life, and being subjected to a label will only result in detrimental impacts.