Ad hoc interpreters' experiences of an in-service training course and subsequent interpreter-mediated sessions.

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The provision of good quality mental health care relies heavily on effective communication. Interpreters have a profound role to play where language and cultural barriers stand in the way of effective communication. To date little is known about interpreting practices in low- and middle-income countries. This study examined ad hoc interpreters' experiences of an in-service training course and subsequent interpreter-mediated sessions at South African psychiatric hospitals. A cross-sectional qualitative interview design was used. The research participants consisted of 13 individuals (ages 25 to 59), all who attended an in-service training course. Seven participants are male and six are female. The semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim. The results of the qualitative data are grouped into six themes: 'Language barrier between researcher and participants, 'The role of age, culture and gender, 'Views on interpreting, 'Willingness to act as ad hoc interpreters, 'The effectiveness of the in-service training course, subsequent interpreting sessions and interest in more formal training and 'The importance of a working relationship between interpreters and clinicians. The language ability of participants is unsatisfactory to ensure the optimal delivery of mental health care, as can be seen by numerous miscommunications between researcher and participants. It is clear that interpreters can have a vital impact on the effectiveness of mental health care. There is clearly a need for trained interpreters in South Africa. The continuous use of untrained interpreters could lead to adverse health outcomes. Although participants stated that the in-service training course was helpful, it was difficult to judge the effectiveness of the course, due to various reasons. Finally, limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University