Leanza, Y, Miklavcic, A, Boivin, A. & Rosenberg, E. (2014). “Working with Interpreters.”
In L. Kirmayer, C. Rousseau, J. Guzder (eds.), Cultural Consultation: Encountering the Other in Mental Health Care (pp.89-114). Springer.
Do’s and Don’ts: Some Guidelines for Clinicians Working with Interpreters in Mental Health Settings
From Do’s and Don’ts:
See Table 5.2 Guidelines for working with interpreters in clinical settings
Prior to the interview
• Contact the interpreter before the consultation. Provide some general information regarding the patient and ask if he/she would be comfortable interpreting for the patient
• If the interpreter is not a trained or professional interpreter, determine his relation to the patient and remind him of the basic rules of interpreting
• Remind the interpreter that everything that is said in the consultation room must be kept confidential
• Ask the interpreter to translate everything that is said and to tell you when accurate translation is not possible
• Ask the interpreter to describe her impressions of the patient’s feelings and emotions, making clear that you recognize the difficulty of this task
• Ask the interpreter to tell you when he/she is unsure of the meaning of the patient’s verbal and/or nonverbal communication • Arrange the interview setting so that patient and practitioner can see the interpreter and each other; placing three chairs in triangle is usually the best way to achieve this
During the interview
• Present yourself and the interpreter
• Ask the patient if he agrees to being interpreted by this interpreter
• Inform the patient that the interpreter will translate everything you and the patient say
• Inform the patient that the interpreter will respect confidentiality • Look mainly at the patient and use first-person singular speech
• Use simple and short sentences
• Be aware of how your communicative style may be direct or indirect (e.g., the way you frame questions, you make comments, and the ways you interpret what the patient says)
• Summarize your understanding frequently, asking the patient to confirm or to correct you
• If the patient and interpreter have engaged in several exchanges without translation, interrupt them and ask the interpreter to translate
After the interview
• Ask the interpreter if she has something to add about the patient or the consultation process
• Check the interpreter’s personal feelings about the content of the interview and offer sources of support for any distress uncovered
• Record the name of the interpreter and contact information in the patient’s file for future reference