Genogram example · Family structure
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Quick answer
At a glance
| This example | |
|---|---|
| Generations | 3 |
| Family members | 10 (6 male, 4 female) |
| Birth years | 1948 to 2017 |
| Index person | Tyler Nolan |
| Emotional relationships | Close, Distant, Conflict and Fused/Enmeshed |
| Conditions marked | Anxiety Conditions, Depressive Disorders, Cardiovascular Conditions, Diabetes, Trauma/PTSD, Neurological Conditions and Respiratory Conditions |
| Category | Family structure |
| Tags | Family Structure, Educational |
About this genogram
A kinship care genogram showing grandparents who have legal custody of three grandchildren due to their daughter's substance abuse and son-in-law's incarceration. Illustrates the challenges of grandparent-headed households, estranged parent-child relationships, the impact of addiction on family systems, and the resilience of kinship caregivers.
Family analysis
Overview
This 3-generation genogram maps 10 family members with birth years spanning from 1948 to 2017, comprising 6 males and 4 females. The genogram tracks 8 medical/psychological condition categories and 5 emotional relationship types across 8 documented dyads. The index patient is Tyler Nolan (b. 2010), high school student (age 16).
Generation by generation
The family system encompasses 3 generations with distinct patterns at each level. The oldest generation includes Harold, Doris, Frank and 1 other, with 4 presenting documented conditions. The middle generation includes Brenda, Travis, Rick, with 2 presenting documented conditions. The youngest generation includes Tyler, Kaylee, Mason, with 3 presenting documented conditions.
Emotional relationships
Emotional relationship mapping reveals 3 close relationships, 1 fused/enmeshed relationship, 2 estranged relationships, 1 conflictual relationship, 1 distant relationship. Specific patterns include a close relationship between Harold and Tyler, a close relationship between Doris and Kaylee, a fused/enmeshed relationship between Doris and Mason. The co-occurrence of fused and conflictual relationships suggests a family system with poorly differentiated boundaries, where emotional intensity oscillates between enmeshment and discord.
Health conditions
Medical and psychological conditions are documented in 9 of 10 family members (90%). Depressive disorders appear in 3 members (Doris, Brenda, Diane). Substance appear in 3 members (Brenda, Travis, Frank), affecting 1 female and 2 males. Anxiety-spectrum conditions appear in 3 members (Brenda, Tyler, Kaylee), affecting 2 females and 1 male. Comorbidity is observed in 5 family members, with Harold presenting 2 concurrent condition categories. The multigenerational prevalence of depressive disorders suggests both genetic predisposition and possible environmental or behavioral transmission pathways.
This genogram illustrates how family structure shapes individual development and relational patterns. Professionals working with families of this structure can use the genogram to normalize diverse family configurations and identify both strengths and areas for growth in the family system.
How do you read the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren genogram?
- 1
Find each person and generation
Squares are males and circles are females, and each row is one generation, oldest at the top. This one has 6 males and 4 females across 3 generations. - 2
Check the status markers
Markers on a symbol add facts about that person: Index Patient (Arrow). The index person, the focus of the assessment, is Tyler Nolan. - 3
Follow the family lines
Horizontal lines join partners and vertical lines drop to their children, born left to right in birth order. This genogram uses Marriage, Divorce and Parent-Child lines. - 4
Read the emotional lines
Lines drawn between two people show how they relate: Close, Distant, Conflict and Fused/Enmeshed. Notice who has several lines converging on them, and which patterns repeat from one generation to the next. - 5
Read the shading
Shaded symbols mark health conditions: Anxiety Conditions, Depressive Disorders, Cardiovascular Conditions, Diabetes, Trauma/PTSD, Neurological Conditions and Respiratory Conditions. Trace each line of descent to see where a condition recurs and where it stops.
Genogram symbols used in this example
| Symbol | Type | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Male (Square) | Person Symbols | A square represents a male family member in standard genogram notation. |
| Female (Circle) | Person Symbols | A circle represents a female family member in standard genogram notation. |
| Index Patient (Arrow) | Status Markers | An arrow pointing to a person identifies them as the index patient — the individual who is the focus of the clinical assessment. |
| Marriage | Structural Relationships | A solid horizontal line connecting two individuals represents a marriage or committed partnership. |
| Divorce | Structural Relationships | A marriage line with two diagonal slashes indicates divorce or legal separation. |
| Parent-Child | Structural Relationships | A vertical line descending from a couple line to a child symbol represents a parent-child relationship. |
| Close | Emotional Relationships | Two parallel lines between individuals represent an emotionally close relationship. |
| Distant | Emotional Relationships | A dotted line represents an emotionally distant or disengaged relationship. |
| Conflict | Emotional Relationships | A zigzag line between individuals represents an openly conflictual relationship. |
| Fused/Enmeshed | Emotional Relationships | Three parallel lines with a zigzag overlay represent a fused relationship — emotionally intense with poor boundaries. |
| Anxiety Conditions | Medical Conditions | Shading in the genogram symbol indicates anxiety-spectrum diagnoses (GAD, panic disorder, phobias, OCD). |
| Depressive Disorders | Medical Conditions | Shading indicates depressive conditions (major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder). |
| Cardiovascular Conditions | Medical Conditions | Shading indicates heart disease, hypertension, stroke, or other cardiovascular conditions. |
| Diabetes | Medical Conditions | Shading indicates Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. |
| Trauma/PTSD | Medical Conditions | Shading indicates post-traumatic stress disorder or complex trauma responses. |
| Neurological Conditions | Medical Conditions | Shading indicates neurological disorders (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, etc.). |
| Respiratory Conditions | Medical Conditions | Shading indicates chronic respiratory conditions (asthma, COPD, etc.). |
Build a genogram like this one
Example prompt
- 1
Start from the dashboard
Sign in to GenogramAI and choose Create with AI (paid plans), or open a blank genogram and use Ask AI (any plan). To start from this exact chart instead, use Open as template. - 2
Describe your family
Paste a description like the one above, with your own names, dates, relationships and health history. - 3
Check and adjust
Edit people and lines by hand, or ask the AI for one change at a time. - 4
Export
Download a PNG on the free plan. PDF and SVG export are on paid plans.
The free plan includes 2 genograms and 5 AI credits a month. See the AI genogram creator for what else it can do.
Related resources
- Browse our genogram templates to find structures similar to this example.
- See our 3-generation genogram guide for standard multigenerational mapping techniques.
- This example uses the close relationship symbol to denote emotional closeness between family members.
- The fused relationship symbol indicates enmeshed boundaries in this family system.
Frequently asked questions
What clinical patterns does the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren genogram reveal?
The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren genogram maps multigenerational transmission of psychological patterns, emotional dynamics, and relationship structures. Clinicians use it to identify recurring cycles of behavior, attachment styles, and communication patterns that may inform diagnosis and treatment planning in family therapy.
Who would benefit from studying the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren genogram?
The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren genogram is valuable for family therapists, social workers, counseling students, medical professionals, and anyone interested in understanding family dynamics and intergenerational patterns through visual family mapping.
What genogram symbols are used in the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren example?
This genogram uses Male (Square), Female (Circle), Index Patient (Arrow), Marriage, Divorce, Parent-Child, Close, Distant, Conflict, Fused/Enmeshed, Anxiety Conditions, Depressive Disorders and 5 more. All of them follow standard genogram notation, so the chart reads the same way in any genogram program or textbook.
Can I build a genogram like the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren example?
Yes. Open GenogramAI, choose Create with AI on the dashboard (paid plans) or open a blank genogram and use Ask AI in the editor (any plan), and describe the family in plain words: who is in it, how they are related, key dates and the relationships or health conditions you want to show. The AI draws the symbols and lines, and you can then edit by hand or ask for one change at a time. A family of 10 people like this one takes a short paragraph to describe. The free plan includes 2 genograms and 5 AI credits a month, with PNG export.
About this example
