Abstract
In therapy with Ukrainian refugees, interpreters bridge cultural and linguistic divides within Western therapeutic settings. This small-scale exploratory study employs a focus group with interpreters to explore their challenges, their contributions to the therapeutic alliance, and the significance of cultural competence in assessing and treating traumatic stress. A linguist and psychotherapy treatment specialist combined the LESCANT intercultural communication model with Silove et al.’s work addressing criticisms of the Western PTSD diagnostic criteria to develop a codebook for evaluating interpreter feedback. Initial manual coding of units of meaning yielded near perfect agreement, a κ = .923, 95% CI [0.861,0.985] p < .001. The psychotherapy treatment specialist coded the remaining units of meaning. The study suggests that language plays the most important role in representing cultural identity and influences the perception of internal and external experiences of traumatic events. The findings indicate that language, context, and social organization facilitate culturally sensitive assessments and the selection of appropriate therapeutic approaches, highlighting the value of interpreters in establishing a culturally suitable therapeutic environment.
Presenters
Nicole Dingwell FrendtStudent, Doctor of Health Administration Student, Central Michigan University, Michigan, United States James A. Johnson
Professor, Health Sciences, Central Michigan University, Michigan, United States Rodina Bizri Baryak
Student, DHA, Central Michigan University, Ohio, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Ukrainian Refugees, Linguistic Perceptions, Therapy Interpreters, Cross-Cultural Trauma Diagnosis, PTSD
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