A phenomenological investigation of the experience of being labeled

The purpose of this study was to develop a thematic description of what individuals are aware of during their experiences of being labeled. A phenomenological approach was used to analyze the transcribed interviews of twelve participants who discussed various situations in which they experienced being labeled. A thematic analysis of the data produced four focal themes: 1) Fit; 2) Limits and Possibilities; 3) Visible and/or Different; and 4) Accepted or Rejected by Others. The four themes appeared meaningful in a context of interpersonal relationships in which the person defines" Who I Am." This study greatly extends our understanding of the process of labeling beyond the previous assumptions of both the proponents and critics of the Labeling Theory Debate on Mental Illness. The Labeling Theory argument is reinterpreted in terms of the themes found in this study, and the implications for the discipline of psychology are discussed.