In clinical practice, obtain information about the patient the problem for which you come for consultation and the circumstances that surround said problem or may influence it is a fundamental part of the psychotherapeutic process. The psychologist needs this information to be able to work and contribute to address issues the patient raises, serving as a guide through the process.
Within this information, understand the family structure and the type of relationships that the subject maintains with his or her closest environment It can greatly help to understand the subject’s current situation. Obtaining this information is carried out through various methods, and can be recorded in a simple and easily understandable way if a genogram is prepared.
We call a genogram a graphic representation in which general information about the constitution of a family is captured. and the interrelationships between its members. It is a schematic way of visualizing family patterns and the type of relationships established between its members. A genogram reflects all the people that make up the family structure, both those who are still alive and those who have died or have separated from the family nucleus. Abortions are also included. Although it generally goes back a total of three generations, this can vary depending on the type of problem that motivates the consultation with the psychologist.
The genogram not only reflects the family structure, but also serves to visualize the presence of very important and vital events for the subject, such as the birth of a sibling the death of a family member, a wedding, a divorce or an abortion. These types of events can greatly mark the human psyche and change the type of relationships that each individual in the family system has, including the client or patient, and may cause or contribute to the presence of disorders or problems linked to the reason for consultation. of the patient. This is why it is a tool widely used in clinical practice to analyze family relationships.
So, although the final result seems simple and straightforward, These types of representations offer a large amount of information the professional when it comes to understanding where the patient comes from and how their origins can help explain their present, allowing different strategies and paths of action to be outlined.
Building a genogram
At first glance it may seem that creating a genogram is really quick and without any complications. However, to create a meaningful genogram It is not enough to make a series of interlocking symbols : Family composition and structure must be explored and taken into account while taking into account the effect that these relationships may have on the patient. Furthermore, although it is a graphic representation that could be constructed in many different ways, in order for it to be understandable and make practical sense, a series of symbols and steps have been established.
To start building a genogram, first the objective with which the representation is carried out must be taken into account. Given that a family can be made up of a large number of people, it is necessary to delimit the type of relationships that must be reflected, limiting the representation to those closest or linked to the problem. Let’s see below the steps to take in preparing the genogram.
1. Construction of the basic structure
At first The basic structure of the family is outlined. Thus, at this point each of the family members is represented through a figure and the link that unites them through lines that unite the components of the system. Basically, a family tree is made centered on the client or patient and his or her closest relatives, generally limiting itself to assessing a total of three generations including that of the aforementioned.
Furthermore, a genogram not only indicates who is part of a family but also which members of said family live in the same location with the client or patient for which all the family members who cohabit with him are surrounded with a broken line. This helps to understand who the patient has the highest level of contact with and how this contact affects their life.
2. Basic data collection from subjects
Once the structure of the genogram has been traced and the main people and relationships represented, it is necessary to understand the functioning of the family. collect various general data.
For example, the age, educational and socio-occupational level and the profession of loved ones can affect the development of the subject, so having this data allows us to improve the understanding of the system. It is also useful to know the presence of a history of mental or medical disorders.
3. Marking what type of relationship they have
In addition to knowing who is who and the most basic vital data, it is necessary observe the type of relationships and the emotional involvement they have given its importance when the client interprets interpersonal relationships and even reality.
With this we can observe, among other things, if there are conflictive or very close relationships that serve as support or a risk factor to promote an improvement or worsening of the patient’s situation.
Symbology and its meaning
Aside from the process followed during the construction of the genogram, it is important for its understanding to know which symbols are used in each situation.
It must be taken into account that what is symbolized is not only each of the members of the family, but also the type of bond that unites it to the rest of the components.
Symbolizing people
When analyzing or creating a genogram we must take into account what or who is being represented with each of the symbols. Each individual in the family is represented with a unique symbol. Specifically, we will use the outline of a square when we are referring to a man and that of a circle when we are representing a woman. Within the symbol the current age of the subject will appear if they are alive, above it the year of birth and just below the symbol the name of the individual. When representing the client or patient, the figure that represents it is double (that is, a square or circle at the center of another). If the person being represented is someone who has already died, we will find that the symbol appears crossed out, with an X above it.
Other symbols to have are those referring to the presence of abortions. In this aspect we find two symbols depending on whether the termination of pregnancy has been voluntary or accidental: in the first case a small X will be used without it crossing out any symbol, while in the case of spontaneous abortion a small fully painted circle.
In the event that it is necessary to assess the sexual orientation of one of the family members to understand the reason for the patient’s consultation (for example, if a subject comes to the consultation with problems accepting the sexual orientation of a family member), it can be indicate whether the subject belongs to the LGBT community with an inverted triangle inside the symbol that indicates their sex.
The fact that the symbols are only an outline or are more or less filled also has certain implications. Subjects who consume and abuse substances such as alcohol and drugs will have half of their symbol painted, horizontally. If the individual suffers from mental problems, the symbol will have half painted, but in this case vertically. If you add both psychiatric problems and substance abuse, three-quarters of the symbol will be painted.
Apart from the subjects, the genogram also reflects the type of relationship that each component has with the rest. In this sense we also find different representations in the connections between subjects.
The marital union between two people is symbolized with a straight and continuous line, with the two individuals being at the same height. If two people have a relationship but are not married, said relationship will be represented with a dashed line, also being at the same height. If the couple separates, a diagonal bar will cut the line that joins them, marking the year of the breakup. In the case of a divorce we will find two diagonal bars. In the event that a divorced or separated couple subsequently reunites, the bars marking their separation will be crossed out.
The presence of children is symbolized with lines that arise from the union of two people. the line being continuous in the case of biological children and discontinuous if we are dealing with an adopted child. If it is more than one shoot, they will be ordered from left to right based on age.
The presence of siblings presents some characteristics to take into account. If we are dealing with twins, the lines that represent the union with the parents will emerge from the same point. Otherwise, the lines will be born at different points from the one that indicates the link between both parents.
Indicating the type of relationship
The type of structural connection that family members maintain has been indicated so far, but it is also possible indicate what this connection is like on an emotional level.
Positive and normative relationships will be marked with both being subject to exactly the same height. A distant relationship can be marked by both being subject to different heights, not both symbols being linked at the same point. Conflicting relationships will be indicated with zigzag lines and in the case of the presence of physical or psychological abuse, said situation will be represented with a zigzag line that will end in an arrow that will mark in which direction the abuse is going.
An intimate relationship can be indicated by two lines instead of one. while merged relationships will be marked with three lines. Combinations can be made from these constructions.
