Does Interpreter-Mediated CBT with Traumatized Refugee People Work? A Comparison of Patient Outcomes in East London

Abstract

There is controversy about the value of psychological interventions offered to refugee people through an interpreter, but little empirical evidence in this field. This study compared routine clinical outcomes of three groups of PTSD patients receiving CBT: refugees who required interpreters; refugees who did not require an interpreter; and English-speaking non-refugees. The aim of the study was to ascertain whether interpreted CBT is feasible. All three groups attended a similar number of sessions and showed significant improvements after treatment. Refugees receiving treatment with and without interpreting did not differ in treatment outcomes. The findings suggest that interpreters can be used with positive outcome in treating PTSD patients with CBT. This study supports NICE (2005) recommendations that CBT should be offered regardless of language need.