Use of interpreters by monolingual and bilingual speech-language pathologists in the U.S. - A survey study

Abstract

With the vast diversity in demographics of the U.S. population rising in recent years, the topic of using language interpreters is becoming more prominent within clinical practice in Speech-Language Pathology. The aim of the current study was to compare the use of interpreters between monolingual and bilingual Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) clients in the U.S. The study utilized an online survey where participants self-reported their use of interpreters. The respondents consisted of SLPs working in pediatric and/or adult settings. The study included a total of 337 participants including 124 monolingual and 213 bilingual SLPs. Results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between usage of interpreters by the two groups (monolingual and bilingual SLPs). In addition, both monolingual and bilingual SLPs were equally likely to recommend intervention for a client who spoke a language other than English with borderline skills when compared to a monolingual English-speaking client with similar skills. Future studies can include detailed examination of SLPs' experiences regarding their frequency of interpreter use, training in effective use of interpreters, and collaboration between interpreters, SLPs, and clients. These studies could be helpful to further understand the current assessment and treatment practices for CLD clients.