A balancing act: how interpreters affect the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy with trauma-affected refugees—a qualitative study with therapists
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A balancing act : how interpreters affect the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy with trauma-affected refugees—a qualitative study with therapists. / Hanft-Robert, Saskia; Lindberg, Laura Glahder; Mösko, Mike; Carlsson, Jessica.
I: Frontiers in Psychology, Bind 14, 1175597, 2023.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A balancing act
T2 - how interpreters affect the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy with trauma-affected refugees—a qualitative study with therapists
AU - Hanft-Robert, Saskia
AU - Lindberg, Laura Glahder
AU - Mösko, Mike
AU - Carlsson, Jessica
N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Hanft-Robert, Lindberg, Mösko and Carlsson.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Objective: The therapeutic alliance (TA) has the highest predictive value concerning the success of psychotherapy. The presented study aimed to explore how the presence of an interpreter affects the TA when working with trauma-affected refugees. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven psychologists working in an outpatient clinic specialized in mental health care for migrant and refugee patients with trauma-related mental health problems in Denmark. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a structuring content analysis approach. Results: TA has been described as a dynamic therapist-interpreter-patient alliance triangle consisting of three distinct but highly intertwined and mutually influential dyadic alliances. Specific factors affecting the quality of the TA were identified, e.g., interpreter being emotionally attuned yet not overly involved; interpreter being barely visible yet present as a human being. Characteristics of trauma-affected refugee patients affecting the TA formation were also identified, e.g., a high level of personal distrust, different understandings of mental disorders and psychotherapy, stigmatization, perceptions of authorities. Conclusion: The presence of interpreters was perceived ambivalently and the formation of a good TA seems to be a balancing act. Based on the findings, recommendations for forming and maintaining a good TA in interpreter-mediated psychotherapy are provided.
AB - Objective: The therapeutic alliance (TA) has the highest predictive value concerning the success of psychotherapy. The presented study aimed to explore how the presence of an interpreter affects the TA when working with trauma-affected refugees. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven psychologists working in an outpatient clinic specialized in mental health care for migrant and refugee patients with trauma-related mental health problems in Denmark. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a structuring content analysis approach. Results: TA has been described as a dynamic therapist-interpreter-patient alliance triangle consisting of three distinct but highly intertwined and mutually influential dyadic alliances. Specific factors affecting the quality of the TA were identified, e.g., interpreter being emotionally attuned yet not overly involved; interpreter being barely visible yet present as a human being. Characteristics of trauma-affected refugee patients affecting the TA formation were also identified, e.g., a high level of personal distrust, different understandings of mental disorders and psychotherapy, stigmatization, perceptions of authorities. Conclusion: The presence of interpreters was perceived ambivalently and the formation of a good TA seems to be a balancing act. Based on the findings, recommendations for forming and maintaining a good TA in interpreter-mediated psychotherapy are provided.
KW - interpreter
KW - psychotherapy
KW - refugees
KW - therapeutic alliance
KW - trauma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85161055245&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175597
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175597
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37260954
AN - SCOPUS:85161055245
VL - 14
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
SN - 1664-1078
M1 - 1175597
ER -
ID: 365820427