GENOGRAM
WHAT IS GENOGRAM?
A genogram is a graphic representation of a family tree that displays detailed data on
relationships among individuals. It goes beyond a traditional family tree by allowing the user to
analyze hereditary patterns and psychological factors that punctuate relationship. Genogram
allow a therapist and their client to quickly identify and understand various pattern in the clients
family history which may have had an influence on the clients current state of mind. Genograms
may also include emotional relationships. These provide an in-depth analysis of how individuals
relate to one another. Color-coded lines represent various emotional relationships that bond
individuals together. Diagrammatically the genogram is an intergenerational map of three or
more generations of a family and a primary assessment tool that focused on intergenerational
patterns and relationship among the family members.
HISTORY OF GENOGRAM:
Murray Bowen invented the concept of genogram as part of his family system model in the
1970s, although Bowen laid the theoretical foundation for the genogram as a diagram of
‘underlying emotional processes in the family’, intergenerational family therapist have been
credited for advancing the practical use of genogram as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.
Genogram were later developed and popularized in clinical setting by Monica McGoldrick and
Randy Gerson through the publication of their book, titled ‘Genograms in Family Assessment’
in 1985.
TYPES OF INFORMATION RECORDED IN A GENOGRAM:
Basic family structure
Information about the individual family members
Information about family relationships
PURPOSE:
Genograms provide family information graphically in a way that it provides a quick
understanding of complex family pattern and a rich source of speculation about how a
problem may be connected to the family context and the evolution of both problem and
context over time.
It make it easier to keep in mind the family members, patterns, levels of cohesiveness and
events that may have recurring significance in a family’s ongoing care.
In a very short duration of time, a genogram provides valuable amount of information
about the clients and his/her family structures, patterns and relationships.
Genogram is a family diagram which maps relationships and patterns of functioning of a
family, which helps patterns of functioning of a family, which helps professional to think
systematically about how events and relationships in the clients life is related to the
patterns of problems that he/she is facing.
Genograms can help family members to see themselves in a new way and are thus an
important way of joining with families in therapy
Patterns of previous problems and earlier shifts in family relationships brought about
through changes in family structures and other critical life changes can easily be noted on
genogram, providing a rich source of hypothesis about what leads to change in a
particular family.
USAGE:
Genogram have now become a widely used assessment and therapeutic tools by professional in
various fields, such as, social work, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, medicine, genetic
research, education and many more.
STEPS IN MAKING GENOGRAM:
Mainly construction of genogram are in 3 steps:
Step: 1 – Determine your purpose
Step: 2 – Start gathering information
Step: 3 – Construct Genogram
GENERAL RULES TO MAKE THE GENOGRAM:
A genogram is an assessment tool that can be used to begin a discussion about a person's
traits, experiences, and relationships. Because it may contain items involving other family
members, the information printed on it should be treated with care and confidentiality.
Entities in the genogram are connected by lines. Solid ones indicate a healthy relationship
between the members. Variations can be observed when the family relationship involves
separation, divorce, affair, cohabitation, and marriage.
Colors and more animated lines appear when the emotional relationship among the
entities in the genogram is described. Symbols for apathy, harmony, hate, love, hostility,
abuse, and violence all have distinctive figures that make them easily distinguishable to
professionals.
When the emotional relationship between the components in the genogram is described,
colors and more animated lines appear. Experts may quickly identify symbols
representing apathy, harmony, hatred, love, hostility, abuse, and violence because they all
have distinct figures.
Each generation is drawn below the previous one, with grandparents at the top, parents on
the next level below, and the children at the bottommost portion of the genogram.
The male parent is always drawn on the left side while the female is on the right.
Children also follow a drawing direction, with the eldest placed on the leftmost portion
and the youngest on the right in descending birth order.
Through the use of lines, genograms can illustrate the quality of relationships between
each family member. Marriage, divorce, and various life conditions can be represented by
lines.
Each member's name and age are written inside the shapes. Additional information such
as the date of marriage, educational history, occupation, and current location might be
included if relevant to the aim of your genogram.
Emotional connections between each member tell a lot about how aspects like stress,
abuse, harmony, and support affect the quality of life of an individual.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS USE IN GENOGRAM:
Gender:
Men are depicted by a square and women are depicted by a circle.
Family Relationship:
Two gender symbols are connected by a line beneath them to represent family links. Men should
always be on the left, and women should always be on the right.
Descriptive symbols put on top of the family relationship line provide further information about
the relationship's state. Each of these symbols can be used to represent any form of line (for
example, the "separated" symbol could be placed over the "committed relationship" line or the
"marriage" line).
Emotional Relationship:
Emotional relationships are represented by a line that connects two gender symbols (different
from family relationship connections, where the line is beneath them). These lines can be used to
link any two individuals on the genogram.
Children:
Children are positioned behind their parents, with a line descended from the parents' family
relationship line. Children should be listed from oldest to youngest, left to right.
Lifespan:
Deaths are denoted with a "X" within the person's symbol. In some cases, it may be necessary to
include additional information such as a person's age or dates of birth and death.
CONCLUSION:
Genograms appear complicated because they include a lot of information. Every form, line, and
color represent real-life experiences that influence an individual's character, environment, and
lifestyle.
A genogram can be created using just a pen and paper, but it will be much easier if you utilize
software such as GenoPro. GenoPro can assist you in creating a clean and complete genogram
that you can easily give to a health expert for evaluation.
CASE FOR EXAMPLE:
The following case is a husband with three spouses. The husband had three children with the first
wife, then divorced. The husband married the second wife, had one child and separated. The
husband currently lives with another woman. As you can see, the oldest child is at the left, and
the youngest child, "Half Sister", is at the right of her family, as she is the unique child of the
husband and the second wife.
The second scenario is the same as the first one, except the spouse had three husbands. She had
three children with her first husband and divorced. The wife married another man, had one child
with him and now lives with someone else. Please notice the oldest child is always at the left
most position of the family of his biological parents. In this scenario, the "Oldest Brother" is
older than the twins and the half-sister, however the half-sister must be placed under the family
of her biological parents. Since the second marriage is after the first marriage, it follows that the
half-sister is younger than the children from the first marriage. The half-sister therefore appears
to the left, although she is not the oldest child.
