Improving Feeling of Control and Trust in Interpreter-Mediated Mental Health Consultations

Language barriers are among the most critical factors in health care disparities. Low language proficiency is consistently associated with a high prevalence and severity of mental health disorder symptoms. Despite the advantages of working with an interpreter, most practitioners report difficulties, especially with trust and the feeling of control. The main objective of this exploratory qualitative intervention research is to examine the impact of training when working with interpreters and their inclusion in follow-ups. This impact is evaluated in the changes in feelings of control and trust for the practitioners who received the training, for the trained interpreters included in follow-ups and for the patients of these follow-ups. Semistructured interviews were conducted with individuals involved in five follow-ups at four public mental health clinics in Paris, France. The project had two phases: before (N = 18) and a few months after (N = 12) the training. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Before the training, practitioners perceived the potential for collaboration with interpreters and the complexity of triadic consultations. Interpreters expressed irritation and disappointment at the lack of recognition, and patients seemed confident because they had already built a relationship with practitioners. After the training and inclusion of interpreters, trust is better established between interpreters and practitioners, which has substantial effects. All the protagonists state that trust positively impacts the relationship with patients and the therapeutic process. Although some practitioners still doubt the sessions' control, the intervention helps them to gain knowledge and critically examines their clinical modus operandi.