Interpreter-mediated psychiatric assessments: Metacommunication as key

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Linguistics
• Sociology

Background:

• Interpreter-mediated psychiatric assessments involve complex communication dynamics.
• Non-native migrant patients face distinct challenges in these settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe communication challenges in triadic psychiatric assessments.
• To identify strategies for clinicians and interpreters to improve communication outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Filmed, transcribed, and translated 10 interpreter-mediated psychiatric consultations.
• Conducted clinical, interactional sociolinguistic, and interdisciplinary analyses.

Main Results:

• Identified six challenges: speech comprehensibility, discussing emotions, sensitive remarks, clinician interventions, interruptions, and non-verbal communication.
• Highlighted the role of face-saving and mutual needs awareness in these challenges.
• Developed specific inter-professional metacommunication strategies for each challenge.

Conclusions:

• Clinicians and interpreters must recognize and address communication challenges in psychiatric assessments.
• A reflexive approach and use of metacommunication tools can enhance clinical and communicational outcomes.