Strategies for overcoming language barriers in research

Abstract

Aim-This paper seeks to describe best practices for conducting cross-language research with individuals who have a language barrier. Design-Discussion paper. Data Sources-Research methods papers addressing cross-language research issues published between 2000-2017. Implications for Nursing-Rigorous cross-language research involves the appropriate use of interpreters during the research process, systematic planning for how to address the language barrier between participant and researcher and the use of reliably and validly translated survey instruments (when applicable). Biases rooted in those who enter data into "big data" systems may influence data quality and analytic approaches in large observational studies focused on linking patient language preference to health outcomes. Conclusion-Cross-language research methods can help ensure that those individuals with language barriers have their voices contributing to the evidence informing healthcare practice and policies that shape health services implementation and financing. Understanding the inherent conscious and unconscious biases of those conducting research with this population and how this may emerge in research studies is also an important part of producing rigorous, reliable, and valid cross-language research. • This study synthesized methodological recommendations for cross-language research studies with the goal to improve the quality of future research and expand the evidence-base for clinical practice.

‘The Devil’s Company’: A Grounded Theory Study on Aging, Loneliness and Social Change Among ‘Older Adult Children’ in Rural Indonesia

“…While data collection was conducted in Indonesian/Javanese, the analysis was conducted by the first author based on the English-language transcripts. Many have argued that this cross-language process of data collection and analysis can pose serious threats to the trustworthiness of a qualitative data ( Squires, 2009 ; Squires et al, 2020 ). Particularly transcriptions and translations provided by persons not involved in the research can introduce interpreter-mediated vulnerability into a study since their quality will affect the entire analysis and interpretation process ( Squires, 2009 ; Squires et al, 2020 ).…”

The impostor syndrome: language barriers in organizational ethnography

“…Given that language is a means to interpret cultural concepts (Larkin et al, 2007), using the informants' preferred language is ideal when doing cross-cultural research (Squires, Sadarangani and Jones, 2020). While it is uncommon that researchers speak the research participants' language fluently (Temple and Young, 2004; see also Holmes et al, 2013), it is critical to address language barriers 1 to ensure that research findings represent the participants' voices as accurately as possible (Squires, 2009).…”

“…Second, cross-language studies tend to focus on issues raised when research participants do not speak English (Shklarov, 2007) and aim at improving these informants' participation to make their voices heard (e.g. Esposito, 2001;Temple, 2002;Temple and Young, 2004;Premji et al, 2020;Squires et al, 2020). This leaves unquestioned the fact that the researcher may not be a native English speaker or that the study may be taking place in a country where English is not the (only) official language.…”

“…likely to be the translator, adopting the "dual role interpreter" (Shklarov, 2007;Squires et al, 2020). Ethnographers indisputably influence the research process and are responsible for discussing and being transparent about it (Warden, 2013).…”

Exploring Parental Perspectives of Childhood Speech and Language Disorders Across 10 Countries: A Pilot Qualitative Study

“…The increase in global migration brings with it an interest in understanding cultural similarities and differences because these can inform service provision (Squires et al, 2020). However, little is known about parental experiences of language disorder in non-English-speaking countries.…”