Working with Interpreters in a mental health setting

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References

In CBT practice a strong therapeutic relationship between therapist and client is valued as it promotes collaborative working which is considered central to efficacy and positive outcomes (Beck, Reference Beck1995; Roth and Pilling Reference Roth and Pilling2007). It is important to note that in the current study, as practitioners became more creative and flexible in their collaborative working with clients and the interpreter, these feelings changed to ‘work in progress’ and ‘possibilities’, as expressed in their accounts. In this study this preference seemed to be motivated by the need for accurate interpretations to make informed clinical decisions and risk management. Data relating to the use of interpreters within the IAPT service were accessed, via the agency that provided the interpreter service, for the 3.5-year period prior to the study. A total of 350 requests for interpreters were made to the local language agent during this period.

Help and support

Step 2 delivers guided self-help (GSH) interventions, based on the CBT model, to people who present with mild to moderate depression and anxiety. GSH intervention is implemented by a CBT trained Psychological Well-being Practitioner (PWP) and may be delivered face-to-face or via telephone contact. Intervention could include computerized CBT, physical health group programmes and psycho-educational workshops, depending on the needs of the client, and may be complemented by the use of self-help books, and information leaflets, during and in-between sessions. Aqueduct Translations technical document translation attend up to six sessions within step 2, but are moved up to step 3 if there is no improvement in outcome (Roth and Pilling, Reference Roth and Pilling2007).

Interpreter Best Practices: Healthcare Professional's Guide

Inviting another translator to proof-read a translated document is a good way of ensuring high quality translation, particularly when producing translated materials that will be made accessible to the general public. Interpreting services can be provided face-to-face, over the phone or via other means like videoconference. NHS Scotland provides advice on determining whether face-to-face interpreting is necessary on a case-by-case basis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Where relevant, check the person’s preferred language dialect or variety (for example Mandarin vs. Cantonese, and Farsi vs. Dari).

Establishing a shared understanding

Patients who need a spoken language interpreter are among the most vulnerable members of our society. They are often people who have endured and witnessed experiences that most of us could not even imagine. Asylum seekers, refugees, survivors of torture, victims of trafficking – they are all denied access and equity of support with their mental health needs because they require their own words and the words of their therapists to be translated. No client who needs an interpreter should find themselves discriminated against because of their linguistic skills, excluded from counselling and therapy that should be available to everyone.

Quality Qualifications, Quickly

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Are you a therapist working with clients through an interpreter?

Dubus (Reference Dubus2016) has noted that interpreters are taught to channel communication with emphasis on neutrality and accuracy and are often not seen as part of a team during this work. In a second sub-theme it was recognized that the interpreter could bring knowledge, and insight, to the therapeutic process that could enhance the cultural perspective. Some participants highlighted how the interpreter's ability to communicate concepts in a culturally relevant way could play a key role in mediating their shared understanding. Additionally, there has been research into the difficulties in communication of empathy, experienced by therapist, during these three-way interactions (Pugh and Vetere, Reference Pugh and Vetere2009).

Good practice when working with interpreters

Documents provided to healthcare professionals in other languages by the patient or on behalf of the patient should be translated into English as soon as possible where there is an identified clinical need. Not everyone can read or write in their preferred language or have the level of literacy required to understand health related written information. A person’s preferred written language may also be different from their preferred spoken language. Check whether a person can read health related information in their preferred language before offering translated written materials.

How to Become a Public Service Interpreter (eBook)

Be aware that humour does not always translate well from one language to another. Many English jokes involve a play on words, or the specific way in which something is said. Do not be offended if the deaf / hard-of-hearing person does not laugh or react to these jokes. Avoid wordy, complex sentences or streams of communication as this can lead to important information being misheard or forgotten during interpretation. They will also need to understand that it is not their role to provide advice or offer additional support. An interpretation may take more or less time, depending on the context and content. Auslan is a language in its own right and has a different sentence structure to English, with its own grammar and idioms. Qualified interpreters must adhere to a strict professional code of conduct and continuous professional development.

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