Genetic Counseling in an Interpreted Setting
   

The purpose of this research study is to identify factors that contribute to establishing communication and trust in an interpreted genetic counseling setting.  Genetic counselors see patients in prenatal, pediatric, adult, cancer and other specialty clinics to address concerns that may arise from the diagnosis of a genetic condition.  Across the country, genetic counselors are seeing an increasing number of patients who are fluent in languages other than English.  Though some genetic counselors are bilingual, the counselor may see a variety of patients whose native language may be Spanish, American Sign Language, and Farsi, Arabic or any other language.   The genetic counselor is likely to experience working with an interpreter.  Members of this interpreted genetic counseling triad: genetic counselors, patients fluent in languages other than English, and interpreters have all reported that even with the language barrier between the genetic counselor and patient, the session may proceed smoothly and the session was felt to be successful by all participants.  On the other hand, there are times when it just doesn’t go well and the language and cultural barrier is not successfully bridged.  There is limited research on medical interpreting and none to date addresses perspectives of all members of the triad.  Separate focus groups will be conducted for genetic counselors who have worked with interpreters, interpreters who have interpreted genetic counseling, and adults who have had genetic counseling through an interpreter.  Focus groups will be conducted in the language of the participants.

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​Student Tasks and Responsibilities:  Literature review, Medline search, recruit and enroll participants for focus groups, observe focus groups, and transcribe audio tapes into written transcript (Spanish or other language) as well as translate (Spanish or other language) into written English.

Student Qualifications:  Bi-lingual/bicultural in Spanish.