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Cited by 12Interpreting and Communication in HealthcareCultural Competency in Health CareTranslation Studies and Practices

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 1 of the 1 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Language Discordance in Mental Health Services: An Exploratory Survey of Mental Health Providers and Interpreters

Open access
Mirza, Mansha, Harrison, Elizabeth, Bentley, Jacob, Chang, Hui-Ching, Birman, Dina·2020·Societies
DOI 10.3390/soc10030066
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Abstract

Global migration has contributed to greater language diversity in many parts of the world. Many migrants experience language barriers in their adopted countries. Language barriers hinder access to healthcare, including mental health. There exists little research on the extent of communication difficulties during language discordant mental health services. A cross-sectional observational study design was used to examine prevalence of communication challenges, use of communication best practices, and training needs among mental health providers and interpreters working with immigrants with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in the United States. Using snowball sampling methods, 38 providers and 34 interpreters were recruited to complete online surveys. Challenges reported by interpreters pertained to technicalities of communication, while those reported by providers pertained to content of communication. Communication best practices such as pre-session briefings and post-session debriefings were used infrequently by providers in the sample. Providers with higher education levels were more likely to endorse some best practices. Fifty-four percent of the providers and 84% of the interpreters were interested in additional training in working with patients with LEP. Findings suggest the need for customized trainings for providers and interpreters to improve the quality of mental healthcare for patients with LEP.

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  • Professionals frequently report feeling unprepared to deal with mental health issues in refugees and asylum seekers due to cultural and language barriers.

    “Studies suggest they frequently report feeling unprepared to deal with mental health issues in refugees and asylum seekers due to factors such as cultural and language barriers [5-7].”

    From A Digital Tool for Culturally Responsive Reflection and Case Conceptualization in First-Line Services to Support Children With a Refugee Background: Development and Usability Study (2026) · cites this paper as [6]

    Section 3.5 reports limited prior training among surveyed providers, and the Discussion reports that 54% wanted additional training, including on sociocultural communication with patients with limited English proficiency. Section 1.2 also describes practitioners identifying language discordance as a barrier to mental healthcare. The paper does not establish that professionals frequently reported feeling unprepared specifically to address mental health issues in refugees and asylum seekers. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Research works printed but not linked: 29

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Metadata

Authors
Mirza, M., Harrison, E., Bentley, J., Chang, H.-C., & Birman, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Illinois Chicago (US)
  • Seattle Pacific University (US)
  • State University of New York (US)
  • University of Miami (US)
Corresponding author
Mirza, Mansha
ORCID
Venue
Societies
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2020-09-14
Volume
10
Issue
3
Pages
66
ISSN
2075-4698 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/soc10030066
OpenAlex
W3086663908
Cited by
12
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4
FWCI
0.87
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Societies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (UL1TR002003)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Cultural Competency in Health Care
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Translation Studies and Practices
Keywords
language barriers, mental health services, interpreters, limited English proficiency, immigrants, communication difficulties, interpreter training, provider training needs, access to mental health care, global migration

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