“Just a Voice” or “a Person, Too?”: Exploring the Roles and Emotional Responses of Spoken Language Interpreters

Background: Despite the many roles spoken language interpreters play, there is little evidence exploring the assumed roles and their corresponding emotional impact when working with refugees in health and human services.

Methods: Using Constructivist Grounded Theory, our team explored the experiences of 11 interpreters who had undergone migration to the United States to understand the roles they identify with and how those roles intersect with their emotional responses to clients’ stories, trauma, and shared experiences.

Findings: Our findings indicate that interpreters embody diverse roles and exhibit a spectrum of emotional responses, including being a “voice,” a “cultural broker,” an “advocate,” and “being human.” These roles were linked to emotional responses ranging from workplace stress, empathy, and emotional toll to growth and satisfaction.

Conclusions: Our field needs to address interpreters’ emotional needs and advocate for work environments that value inclusivity and the recognition of interpreters as vital members of the therapeutic alliance.