Countertransference in court interpreters.

Abstract

Transference and countertransference are important concepts in the therapist-patient relationship in psychiatry. They are also important elements of the courtroom setting and the court interpreter's verbalizations. Transference and countertransference are defined and illustrated in both the psychotherapeutic setting and the courtroom setting with interpreters. The role of the forensic psychiatrist as consultant in interpreter countertransference is discussed in this article.