Interpreting in mental health settings: issues and concerns

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Clinical Psychology
• Sign Language Studies

Background:

• Interpreting in mental health settings presents unique linguistic and cultural challenges.
• Deaf clients with limited English proficiency necessitate complex interpretation techniques like expansion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of interpretation on diagnostic accuracy in mental health.
• To examine the translation of psychological screening instruments into American Sign Language (ASL).

Main Methods:

• Reviewed three studies (Brauer, 1993; Montoya et al., 2001; Steinberg et al., 1998) translating psychological instruments.
• Selected the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Diagnostic Interview Schedule-IV (DIS-IV) for translation into ASL.
• Analyzed data from these translation studies.

Main Results:

• Data from three studies on MMPI and DIS-IV translations into ASL are presented and discussed.
• The study framework considers interpreter expectations and stresses using demand and control theory.
• Examined the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Code of Ethics concerning confidentiality and interpreter roles.

Conclusions:

• Interpretation of psychological assessments into ASL poses significant challenges impacting diagnostic outcomes.
• Understanding interpreter stress and ethical considerations is crucial for effective mental health service delivery to the Deaf community.
• The findings highlight the need for specialized training and ethical guidelines for interpreters in mental health.