Careif Chair, Professor Rachel Tribe, helps update landmark guidance on working with interpreters in mental health
Earlier this year, Professor Rachel Tribe co-authored the British Psychological Society guidance Working with Interpreters in Mental Health, which she co-wrote with Dr Kate Thompson. The guidance provides an overview of the issues psychologists and all mental health professionals need to consider when working in partnership with interpreters.
The authors are grateful to the interpreters and clinicians who kindly helped in producing this guidance by giving their perspective, which was invaluable and contributed significantly to this guidance, particularly Philippe Muriel and Dr Farah Farsimadan.
The writing of the guidance was supported by Dr Clara Calia, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh, an expert on the use of interpreters in neuropsychological testing, and Yvonne Waddell, an expert academic lecturing in BSL/English Interpreting at the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.
What the guidance covers
The guidance covers key recommendations for practice, relevant guidelines and legislation, training issues and issues relating to choosing an interpreter. The latter section includes information about conducting a language needs analysis and locating an appropriate interpreter.
Other sections review issues relating to language and culture within mental health contexts, and types of interpretation and differing models (including telephone, online and written translations). The guidance then provides relevant information about practical considerations to think about before the interpreter-mediated meeting, as well as during and after the meeting. Issues relating to a duty of care to your interpreter and changes to the dynamics in interpreter-mediated relationships are discussed and relevant research referenced.
This is followed by a section on using interpreters in specific settings. The guidance also considers issues relating to translated assessment measures and how to ensure these adhere to relevant guidance, and closes with sections on neuropsychological testing and psychological research using interpreters.
Building on over a decade of impact
The guidance builds on two earlier versions written for the British Psychological Society by Professor Tribe and Dr Thompson in 2008 and 2018. These received over 19,000 reads from people all over the world. The new guidance has been updated and draws upon up-to-date research and best practice. The authors expect that the best practice guidance will be used to inform and improve practice when working across language and culture in the specific context of working within mental health.