Concepts as Strategies for Change

Weidman, Hazel H.

doi:10.3928/0048-5713-19750801-05

Cited by 34 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…An Arabic-speaking consultant, a nurse-sociologist, was asked to assess Omar's problems and intervene on his behalf. As a “culture broker” (Weidman, 1975), she resolved several misunderstandings between Omar's parents and the community mental health agency not only by translating exchanges between the family and staff, but by interacting with them in a culturally acceptable manner. For example, she initially gained the parents' confidence by sharing tea and asking about their life in Iraq.…”

Section: Omar: a Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

The cultural consultant in mental health care: The case of an Arab adolescent.

Budman¹,

Lipson²,

Meleis³

1992

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

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Limited understanding by mental health providers of an immigrant's cultural background can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. A case involving the psychiatric hospitalization of an adolescent from Iraq is described, as are the role of a cultural consultant in clarifying cultural issues and the positive consequences for diagnosis and treatment. Implications for the training and function of cultural consultants in mental health care are discussed.

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Section: Omar: a Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

The cultural consultant in mental health care: The case of an Arab adolescent.

Budman¹,

Lipson²,

Meleis³

1992

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

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“…With an increasing emphasis on culturally relevant treatment (Griner & Smith, 2006), the accepted role of interpretation has expanded from a “black box,” strictly word for word translation model to that of cultural broker (Oquendo, 1996; Tribe & Tunariu, 2009; Santiago-Rivera, 1995; Westermeyer, 1990). A cultural broker is defined as a person who provides appropriate cultural information to assist in communication and works to enhance understanding between two parties (Weidman, 1975). This role expansion is critical in mental health treatment as language is interconnected with affect and cognition (Marcos, 1979) and trained interpreters are essential to accurately communicating such subtleties (Burck, 2004; Griner & Smith, 2006; Schultz, 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The intersections of culture and power in clinician and interpreter relationships: A qualitative study.

Becher¹,

Wieling²

2015

Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology

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Ongoing racial/ethnic health disparities place increasing emphasis on the importance of interpreters in mental health treatment. Yet there is a limited body of research examining how interpreters and clinicians work together in delivering care. This article used an ethno-culturally informed qualitative procedure to ask interpreters and clinicians about their experiences in cross-language mental health treatment. Seventeen semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 interpreters and 7 clinicians. The interplay of power was experienced differently by interpreters and clinicians as exemplified by 3 categories of meaning: Interpreters speaking out, The relationship matters, and Who has the power? The authors recommend future research focus on the clinician-interpreter relationship as an essential piece of cross-cultural mental health delivery.

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“…In the setting of psychotherapy, interpreters can be viewed as "cultural brokers." A cultural broker is defined as an individual who provides relevant cultural data to assist in communication between individuals and improve mutual understanding (Weidman, 1975). This is in contrast to a more traditional view of interpreters as precise robotic or mechanical translators.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Psychotherapy relies heavily on verbal communication and self-report measures; therefore, there is a critical need for effective interpreter services during psychotherapy appointments when a language barrier between the psychologist and patient is present. In the setting of psychotherapy, interpreters can be viewed as “cultural brokers.” A cultural broker is defined as an individual who provides relevant cultural data to assist in communication between individuals and improve mutual understanding (Weidman, 1975). This is in contrast to a more traditional view of interpreters as precise robotic or mechanical translators.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is in contrast to a more traditional view of interpreters as precise robotic or mechanical translators. The cultural broker role underscores the fact that interpreters aim to provide appropriate cultural information to facilitate communication and increase understanding between the provider and patient (Becher & Wieling, 2015; Weidman, 1975). Furthermore, the presence of an interpreter allows the patient to express emotionally charged or sensitive topics in their own more familiar, more expressive, and often more comfortable native language.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beyond the language barrier: Recommendations for working with interpreters in individual psychotherapy.

Martin

Benedetto

Elledge

et al. 2020

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice

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The use of interpreters in health care settings is associated with improved clinical care for patients. Interpreters may also be helpful in psychotherapy sessions, as they improve communication between the psychologist and patient and may also serve as cultural brokers when appropriate. There are clear guidelines for best practices in the use of interpreters in medical settings but comparatively little guidance on the use of interpreters in the therapy setting. A creation of guidelines is warranted, as therapy sessions differ from traditional medical appointments in the length of session, discussion of intensely emotional matters, and preferably the use of the same interpreter across sessions. However, there are several challenges to using interpreters in the unique therapy setting, specifically: the potential for a dual relationship, transitioning from a dyadic to a triadic relationship, professional burnout in interpreters, potential lack of psychologist cultural knowledge, and unique considerations for termination. This paper discusses each of these challenges in turn and provides proposed solutions. Through addressing these difficulties, we hope to foster more purposeful collaboration between psychologists and interpreters, resulting in improved treatment outcomes for patients, increased patient satisfaction, and a sense of well-being for both psychologists and interpreters. Public Significance StatementThis paper addresses several challenges that may occur when collaborating with interpreters in the practice of psychotherapy. The examination of specific problems is followed by proposed solutions in order to promote effective practice that may lead to improved outcomes for the patient, interpreter, and psychologist.

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Concepts as Strategies for Change

Cited by 34 publications

References 2 publications

The cultural consultant in mental health care: The case of an Arab adolescent.

The cultural consultant in mental health care: The case of an Arab adolescent.

The intersections of culture and power in clinician and interpreter relationships: A qualitative study.

Beyond the language barrier: Recommendations for working with interpreters in individual psychotherapy.

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