Abstract
This qualitative thesis examines the experiences of Latino adolescents who act as healthcare language brokers for their immigrant parents, focusing on how family relationships affect their roles and emotional well-being. Through two focus groups with a total of eight adolescents aged 14 to 17, I explored what they experience during healthcare translation, whether they feel supported or unsupported, and how family dynamics influence these experiences. The analysis identified several themes, including the personal significance of helping family, the stress and anxiety of translating medical language, the pressure of meeting parental expectations, the teamwork, and difficulties in working with parents, and ways to better support these adolescents. Many participants described feeling proud of helping their families but also stressed by complex medical terminology and parental expectations. Supportive family communication and emotional understanding were seen as important factors that could make their translation experiences less stressful. These findings highlight the need for stronger family and healthcare support systems to improve adolescents’ well-being and their ability to navigate healthcare settings. Overall, this study offers valuable insights into the cultural and family factors shaping the experiences of Latino adolescent healthcare language brokers.