Psychological Experiences and Support Needs of Volunteer Psychiatric Interpreters in Japan: A Qualitative Study

TL;DR

This study explores the psychological challenges and support needs of volunteer psychiatric interpreters in Japan, highlighting the emotional toll and suggesting ways to improve their well-being and service quality.

Contribution

The study identifies unique psychological experiences and support needs of volunteer psychiatric interpreters in Japan, emphasizing the need for structured training and support.

Findings

Volunteer psychiatric interpreters in Japan experience emotional exhaustion and lack of support.

Participants emphasized the need for formal training and structured psychological support.

Interpreters' personal qualities like resilience and altruism were identified as facilitating factors.

Abstract

Background: Psychiatric interpreters in Japan-many of whom work on a voluntary basis-play a vital role in bridging critical language barriers for the country’s immigrants while facing unique psychological challenges within a non-certified system.

Aim: This qualitative study aimed to explore the psychological experiences and support needs of volunteer psychiatric interpreters in Japan.

Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 medical interpreters recruited via a national dispatch organization (10/15, 66.7%), local networks (3/15, 20%), and hospital referrals (2/15, 13.3%). Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method.

Results: Four major themes emerged: inhibiting factors (e.g., emotional exhaustion, lack of support), facilitating factors (e.g., agency assurance, patient approval), interpreters’ personal qualities (e.g., resilience, altruism), and the pursuit of a professional foundation (e.g., desire for formal training). Participants perceived an emotional toll greater than in general medical interpreting, intensified by Japan’s volunteer-based, under-supported system. None of the participants were full-time psychiatric interpreters, limiting the applicability to highly specialized settings.

Conclusions: Structured psychological training and support networks are recommended to enhance interpreter well-being and improve access to mental health services for immigrants, thereby contributing to psychiatric care, public health outcomes, and cross-cultural communication.

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