| Genograms are amongst the youngest members of the diagramming family, with a starting use in 1985. Although they are used to describe families and blood relatives connections, genograms greatly differ in look and purpose from the family tree diagrams. The main task of genograms is to visualize the relationships between the members within a family on a very deep level, as well as the genetic diseases which may be transferred from/to a family member. Types of genogramsDespite that genograms are not strictly categorized on different types, most of them contain three layers. The first layer describes the basic information related to the people in the family - marriage, divorce, children, etc. The second layer usually contains information on diseases such as heart condition, diabetes, etc. The third layer adds additional clarity of the emotional bonds and relationships, including who was in love with whom, who is obsessed by someone else, who is abusive mentally and/or physically, etc. While in some genograms all layers co-exist, sometimes diagrams are drawn separately for each of the above-mentioned purposes. Let's look at them in further detail. Basic genogramsThe most basic layer of the genogram contains the family members and the way each person is related to the rest. Unlike family trees, however, genograms contain additional information including the way people are related. This is done by specific symbols and connectors, telling the viewer if a child was miscarried, if there was an abortion, if there are twins, if someone is adopted, etc. The connector lines and shapes can also tell who is living and who has passed away, if people are married or simply living together and more. Here are some examples of the shapes and their meanings:All Basic ShapesHealth information genogramsGenograms with health information are often drawn to serve as a starting point for diagnosing a disease or even for predicting a possible illness that a child may inherit genetically. They are often used by psychologists, psychiatrists, and physicians. The predefined symbols of genograms contain basic information whether a member of the family has a physical or mental illness, or even if there is a suspicion of a drug or alcohol abuse. If needed, the creator of the diagram can add additional, custom-made shapes that contain more specific information and describe them in a legend. Common custom shapes are ones, defining heart conditions, diabetes, and others.All Health ShapesRelationship genogramsThe relationships layer of genograms is usually added to give more in-depth information about the relationships between different family members. It can help a therapist learn a lot about a family and see behavioral patterns, their origin and spread amongst the members, as well as predict problems that may occur in the future.All Relationship ShapesExampleTo get a complete idea of a genogram, you can have a look at this example below. |
Free Genogram Maker free download - Video DVD Maker Free, Free Gif Maker, VideoPad Free Video Editor and Movie Maker, and many more programs.
- Simple Family Genogram. Visual Paradigm Online (VP Online) is an online diagramming software with support to Genogram and many other diagrams such as UML, Org Chart, Floor Plan, wireframe, family tree, ERD, etc. You can easily draw Genogram through the simple, intuitive diagram editor. Edit this Template.
- A three-generation genogram created in less than one minute! And everything except written text is created simply by using the mouse to select, click and drag. Genogram-Maker Millennium produces highly complex professional genograms just as simply as what you see here.
- Free Download Genogram Templates Online. Share, discover and update org chart templates on professional content sharing community. All shared organizational chart examples are in vector format, available to edit and customize. Explore whatever fits you best and save for your own use.
A genogram is a type of diagram that shows the genetic history of a family or lineage. Aside from that, it also details a brief medical history of each members of the family. Although mainly used in genetics, genograms are also useful in child psychology, and socio-cultural fields. On that note, there are plenty of ways to create a genogram using the most common applications that you have on your PC. With that being said, here are the steps to make a genogram using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and using an online tool as well.
4 Practical Methods to Create a Genogram
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is one of the best word-processing software to many. Providing many of the best features that a word-processor can offer is one of its many good features. That is why millions of users across the world prefer it over other softwares. It can be used to produces various types of documents, and can also be used to make a genogram. Though this is not its primary function, it is still good to know that you have an alternative option when it comes to making genograms. Although what you need to know is that there are many free downloadable genogram templates out there to save time. On that note, here are the steps to use Word to start making genograms.
- Launch Microsoft Word, and then open a blank page. From the editing screen, click the “Insert” button from the ribbon, and then select “Shapes.”
- Choose the right shapes that are used for genograms, and then arrange them accordingly. You will also need to add lines to show relationship between each elements.
- Add the caption and other information such as medical history after editing the diagram. Once done, you can click the “File” tab and then select “Save.”
Microsoft PowerPoint
The next tool is not a way to create a genogram online, but by using PowerPoint. Similar to the first tool, PowerPoint is also a part of the Microsoft Office Suite. It is primarily used for making presentation slides and is one of the best in that field. In addition to that, it can also be used to edit genograms from scratch. On that note, here are the steps that you can follow to make one on PowerPoint.
- Open a new slide from PowerPoint, and then click the “Insert” tab. Select the shape that represent each elements of the genogram.
- Continue editing the diagram, and then label them with the appropriate data.
- Save the diagram on your PC after editing by clicking the “Save” button from the “File” tab.
Google Docs
When it comes to online word processing, many people prefer using Google Docs. Similar to the Microsoft Word, it has various features that you can use to write documents, and create a genogram online as well. To use Google Docs to make a diagram, follow these steps.
- Launch Google Docs on a web-browser, and then click the “Blank Document” page.
- Next, click the “Insert” tab, and then select “Drawing.” From the drawing board that will appear, create the genogram by adding in the shapes and elements of the diagram.
- After editing, click the “Save and Close” button and then diagram will be added to the blank page. Save the diagram afterwards by hitting the “Download” button from the “File” tab.
GitMind
As mentioned, we also have a way to make a genogram online and that is by using GitMind. This is a free mind map and flowchart maker that you can access from almost any web-browser. Aside from creating charts and diagrams for free, you are also entitled to use the free templates in its library. You can also work with your friends online using the online collaboration feature. If you want to know how to use GitMind to create a genogram then follow the steps below.
- Launch GitMind from any web-browser, and then click the “Get Started” button. From the homescreen, click the templates categories on the left-hand side of the screen if you want to use the free templates.
- To make your own genogram, click the “New Flowchart” button and then the editing panel will appear. You can start editing the diagram by using the shapes and elements provided to you by the left-hand toolbar.
Genogram Template Microsoft Word
- Once done editing, you can click the “Save” button to save your diagram. Alternatively, you can share your creation to your friends by clicking the “Share” button.
Genogram Maker Nursing
Conclusion
Free Online Genogram Maker
Learning how to make a genogram is a valuable skill that one should possess, if they want to make it big in the field of genetics, and social science. Aside from that, it is very useful in determining potential genetic diseases that one can have in his/her lifetime. To make this type of diagram, all you need to know are the basic shapes, and then you can use the tools above to make things easier.