Language Discordance in Music Therapy: A Phenomenological Study of Delivering Music Therapy Services with Interpreters

Abstract The United States Census Bureau suggests that the number of non-English speakers is on the rise, and thus, music therapists may be faced with working with patients who speak different languages, necessitating the need for language interpretation (Dietrich & Hernandez, 2022). In efforts to explore and better understand music therapists’ experiences of delivering music therapy services with language interpreters, five music therapists were interviewed in a semi-structured format. Interviews were conducted and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five domains emerged from the data: (a) benefits of working with interpreters, (b) drawbacks of working with interpreters, (c) feelings associated when working with interpreters, (d) potential reasons why music therapists may not work with interpreters, and (e) considerations for music therapists working with interpreters. The findings provide a greater understanding of how music therapists currently work with interpreters, as well as indicate the need for increased education and awareness.