Lost in interpretation: the use of interpreters in research on mental ill health.

BACKGROUND The literature concerning interpretation in research primarily concentrates on rigorous techniques to eliminate bias. This article analyses other significant issues that arise when interpreters participate in research. MATERIAL Empirical examples are drawn from a research project concerning mental ill health in a multicultural neighbourhood. DISCUSSION Interpreters influence interview data in ways commonly unnoticed by researchers. One often-overlooked factor is that languages are dynamic and interpreters are not instruments. CONCLUSION Research conducted with an interpreter is a complex undertaking. Solely relying on checklists to improve methodological rigour can result in a false sense of the material's validity.