Genograms and the Family

A genogram is an assessment tool that diagrams select aspects of family structure and history. Using symbols that represent each member of a family, it is a visual representation of family patterns, family definitions, and family issues across multiple generations. Genograms have been used in many different social service settings by social workers, nurse practitioners, psychologists, other mental health professionals, and medical practitioners. This entry describes their use in health care settings.

Guidelines, Uses, and Development

Ann Hartman suggests the following guidelines for conducting a genogram assessment. Starting with the presenting problem, talk about the problem in the larger context of what else is going on with the family. Assess the immediate household first, and then the current extended family, followed by previous generations. The practitioner should ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles