A phenomenological study of sign language interpreters in video relay services

Sign language interpreters who work in video relay services (VRS) routinely face threats to their mental health and well-being. This research study was designed to illuminate the wellness strategies interpreters use to mitigate the psychological and emotional demands of VRS work. The study builds on existing literature documenting the occupational stressors VRS interpreters have experienced. Key findings included the constant emotional content interpreters encounter in the VRS environment and the need to reform VRS through a change in policies, procedures, and engagement with multiple stakeholders. This phenomenological qualitative study involved in-depth virtual interviews with 14 interpreters who had experience working in VRS settings and had engaged in personal mental health counseling. Participants took part in 90-min individual virtual semi structured interviews and one follow-up 30-min meeting to provide member checks with their interview transcripts and written responses to two questions. Participant responses informed recommendations for both interpreting and counseling practices. Participants also offered recommendations for workforce reform to safeguard interpreter wellness and subsequently improve the VRS experience for deaf consumers. Input from a field expert and qualitative auditor provided additional trustworthiness to the research design, data collection, and analysis process. Four central themes emerged from the participants’ experiences interpreting in VRS: (a) the VRS milieu, (b) psychological and emotional impact, (c) coping strategies, and (d) creating a healthier VRS ecosystem. Participants described not only the stressors and coping strategies they use to mitigate the impact of interpreting in VRS but also the barriers and facilitators to their engagement with mental health counseling. These themes support and expand upon findings from existing literature and introduce wellness as an important addition to interpreter training and practice. VRS interpreters reported policies and procedures that contribute to occupational stress and feelings of dehumanization. Participants provided recommendations for workplace reform not only to protect interpreter mental health, but also to enhance the interpreting experience for deaf consumers. The study’s implications span practice, policy, and research in both interpreting and mental health counseling professions.