Multilingual issues in qualitative research

ABSTRACT

This study is a reflective account of how problem solving was accomplished during the translation of semi-structured interviews from a source language to a target language. Data are drawn from two qualitative research studies in which Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to obtain insights into the lived experience of parents of children with disabilities in India and Turkey. The authors discuss challenges to interpretation that arise when participants and the main researcher speak the same non-English native language and the results of the study are intended for an English-speaking audience. A common theme in both the Turkish and Indian data relates to parents’ understanding of their children’s symptomology and the prognosis. Implications include the need for both reflective conversation within the research team to address the translation of problematic utterances, and documentation of the translation process in the presentation of research findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Autism
• India
• parent perspectives
• translation
• Turkey

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the families who provided their time for the interviews and to the anonymous reviewers for their very helpful comments.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.