Motivations of Student Medical Interpreters: Personal, Professional, or Altruistic? Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

This study presents an interdisciplinary examination of the role, training, and motivation of undergraduate student medical interpreters. Interpretation is an essential part of an accessible healthcare system; when patients do not speak the same language as their doctors, they face poorer medical outcomes, decreased doctor-patient trust, and a diminished desire to seek medical care. When professional interpreters are not available, patients may rely on ad hoc interpreters, but their lack of training can be as detrimental as having no interpreter at all. Student volunteers, however, offer a solution to this problem. While not full-time interpreters, they receive official training, and thus can help fill the need for language services. Despite this particular capacity to help lower language barriers, and though much work has been done in linguistics and medical sociology on the purpose and role of professional interpreters, student volunteer interpreting has not been widely studied. In this work, semi-structured individual interviews with student interpreters were conducted to determine both how and why they volunteer their time to interpret. Using a thematic analysis framework, their motivations were found to fall under three general categories: (1) personal identity, as students often grew up speaking the language they interpret; (2) community engagement, because of the opportunity to make a direct impact on patients; and (3) pre-professional experience, since many of these students aspire to careers in healthcare. A greater understanding of these motivations adds to knowledge about language mediation and validates the utility of students in this role. Beyond the academic implications in linguistics, psychology, and medical sociology, this research also has direct applications for encouraging the development of student interpreter programs. Particularly in communities with high proportions of immigrants, and especially in fields such as healthcare, these students can contribute to making medical care as inclusive and accessible as possible.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER TWO: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON MEDICAL INTERPRETATION .......................................... 6

SECTION 2.1: HOW DOES GOOD COMMUNICATION LEAD TO BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES?........................... 6

SECTION 2.2: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PATIENT AND A PROVIDER DO NOT SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE?... 9

SECTION 2.3: WHO CAN BE AN INTERPRETER? ............................................................................................ 13

Subsection 2.3.1 Ad hoc interpreters ............................................................................................................. 13

Subsection 2.3.2 Professional interpreters ..................................................................................................... 14

SECTION 2.4: THE ROLE OF THE INTERPRETER ............................................................................................ 17

SECTION 2.5: CURRENT USE OF INTERPRETER SERVICES ............................................................................. 19

SECTION 2.6: STUDENTS AS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION .................................................................................. 21

SECTION 2.7: UNCOVERING MOTIVATION: BENEFITS AND BARRIERS........................................................... 24

SECTION 2.8: THE PRESENT STUDY ............................................................................................................. 27

CHAPTER THREE: METHODS ....................................................................................................................... 28

SECTION 3.1: PARTICIPANTS ....................................................................................................................... 28

SECTION3.2:INTERVIEWS ............................................................................................................................ 30

SECTION 3.3: DATA ANALYSIS....................................................................................................................... 31

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS................................................................... 34

SECTION 4.1: THE ROLE OF THE INTERPRETER ............................................................................................ 34

Subsection 4.1.1 A functional but personally uninvolved intermediary.............................................................. 35

Subsection 4.1.2 Characteristics of a good interpreter ..................................................................................... 38

Subsection 4.1.3 Perceptions of the student role, as compared to professionals ................................................. 41

SECTION 4.2: POTENTIAL BARRIERS TO INTERPRETATION........................................................................... 45

Subsection 4.2.1 Training and preparing to interpret ...................................................................................... 45

Subsection 4.2.2 Interpreting ....................................................................................................................... 47

SECTION 4.3: MOTIVATIONS AND BENEFITS FOR INTERPRETING................................................................. 51

Subsection 4.3.1 Identity: Personal background ............................................................................................. 52

Subsection 4.3.2 Identity: Aspiring to a career in healthcare ........................................................................... 54

Subsection 4.3.3 Community: Interpreting both for others and with others...................................................... 60

SECTION 4.4: GRATIFICATION OF HELPING OTHERS ................................................................................... 62

SECTION 4.5: INTERPRETING IS DIFFICULT, BUT DOABLE ............................................................................ 66

SECTION 4.6: CONNECTING INTERPRETER MOTIVATIONS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF MOTIVATION.67

CHAPTER FIVE: IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................... 71

SECTION 5.1: HOW MIGHT INTERPRETING AFFECT THE STUDENTS LONG-TERM? ........................................ 71

SECTION 5.2: HOW MIGHT STUDENTS INTERPRETING AFFECT THE MEDICAL PROFESSION LONG-TERM? .... 74

SECTION 5.3: HOW MIGHT STUDENTS INTERPRETING INFLUENCE OTHER STUDENTS?................................ 75

SECTION 5.4: STUDY LIMITATIONS.............................................................................................................. 77

SECTION 5.5: FUTURE DIRECTIONS ............................................................................................................. 79

SECTION 5.6: CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................................... 81

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................... 84

APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW GUIDE................................................................................................................. 93

APPENDIX B: CODEBOOK............................................................................................................................ 94

APPENDIX C: ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIVE QUOTATIONS ....................................................................... 95 

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Linguistics
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Social Sociology, Sociolinguistics Education, Health
Keyword	sociolinguistics motivation medical interpretation pre-health
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Tamasi, Susan, Emory University
Committee Members	Duke, Marshall, Emory University Dillman, Lisa, Emory University

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