Linguistic–Cultural Mediation in Asylum and Refugee Settings and Its Emotional Impact on Arabic–Spanish Interpreters
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Materia
Linguistic–cultural mediation Emotional impact Negative emotions Arabic–Spanish interpreting Asylums Refuge
Date
2021Referencia bibliográfica
Mahyub‐Rayaa, B.; Baya‐Essayahi, M.‐L. Linguistic– Cultural Mediation in Asylum and Refugee Settings and Its Emotional Impact on Arabic–Spanish Interpreters. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2021, 11, 1280–1291. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ejihpe11040093
Abstract
Emotional factors in linguistic–cultural mediation have attracted the attention of prior
literature for a number of decades, both regarding the cognitive processes involved in language
interpreting and the impact of stress and emotion on the performance of interpreters. However,
research has not yet been replicated in the Arabic–Spanish pair, despite it being one of the combi‐
nations most requested by public services in Spain and Europe. Methodology: An exploratory
study conducted by an anonymous online 17‐item survey was carried out in order to discover the
perception of Arabic–Spanish interpreters in asylum and refugee settings about the emotional im‐
pact of their job. Out of 30 contacted, 23 active interpreters completed the survey. Results: The
answers showed that all of the interpreters had been exposed to situations that had emotionally
impacted them. Triggering situations and a list of negative emotions were collected. Discussion:
Direct and indirect implications of the referred emotional episodes and their consequences on the
performance of the interpreters were analysed and discussed. Conclusions: Linguistic–cultural
mediation in these settings exposes interpreters to harsh stories that trigger mostly negative emo‐
tions. These professionals lack psychological support; thus, they are forced to deal individually
with each situation, without taking into account the possible consequences on their work and their
physical and mental health.