Genogram example · Cultural
Middle Eastern Extended Family
Quick answer
At a glance
| This example | |
|---|---|
| Generations | 3 |
| Family members | 13 (7 male, 6 female) |
| Birth years | 1938 to 2000 |
| Index person | Omar Khoury |
| Emotional relationships | Close and Conflict |
| Conditions marked | Anxiety Conditions, Cardiovascular Conditions and Diabetes |
| Category | Cultural |
| Tags | Cultural, Family Structure, Educational |
About this genogram
A three-generation Lebanese-American family genogram illustrating a large extended family with strong patriarchal structure, family business involvement, marriage within the community, and the dynamics of maintaining cultural and religious identity across generations in the diaspora. Demonstrates how family loyalty, honor, and collective decision-making shape individual lives.
Family analysis
Overview
This 3-generation genogram maps 13 family members with birth years spanning from 1938 to 2000, comprising 7 males and 6 females. The genogram tracks 3 medical/psychological condition categories and 2 emotional relationship types across 5 documented dyads. The index patient is Omar Khoury (b. 1993), operations manager, khoury imports.
Cultural context
This culturally-informed genogram captures family dynamics across 3 generations, representing Lebanese and Egyptian and Palestinian heritage. Occupational roles across generations — Youssef as founder, khoury imports (retired), Fatima as homemaker, Karim as ceo, khoury imports, Nadia as bookkeeper at khoury imports — illustrate the family's socioeconomic trajectory.
Emotional relationships
Emotional relationship mapping reveals 4 close relationships, 1 conflictual relationship. Specific patterns include a close relationship between Youssef and Karim, a close relationship between Fatima and Nadia, a close relationship between Omar and Leila. Conflictual patterns highlight areas of tension that may benefit from therapeutic intervention and improved communication strategies.
Health conditions
Medical and psychological conditions are documented in 5 of 13 family members (38%). Diabetes appear in 3 members (Youssef, Fatima, Hassan), affecting 1 female and 2 males. Cardiovascular conditions appear in 2 members (Youssef, Fatima), affecting 1 female and 1 male. Anxiety-spectrum conditions appear in 2 members (Karim, Omar). Comorbidity is observed in 2 family members, with Youssef presenting 2 concurrent condition categories. The multigenerational prevalence of diabetes suggests both genetic predisposition and possible environmental or behavioral transmission pathways.
This genogram demonstrates the importance of culturally-informed clinical practice. The Lebanese/Egyptian/Palestinian cultural context shapes family expectations, gender roles, and help-seeking behaviors in ways that must be understood before clinical interpretation. Cultural genograms help practitioners avoid ethnocentric assumptions and recognize how migration, acculturation, and cultural identity intersect with family dynamics and psychological well-being.
How do you read the Middle Eastern Extended Family 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 7 males and 6 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 Omar Khoury. - 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 and Parent-Child lines. - 4
Read the emotional lines
Lines drawn between two people show how they relate: Close and Conflict. 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, Cardiovascular Conditions and Diabetes. 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. |
| 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. |
| Conflict | Emotional Relationships | A zigzag line between individuals represents an openly conflictual relationship. |
| Anxiety Conditions | Medical Conditions | Shading in the genogram symbol indicates anxiety-spectrum diagnoses (GAD, panic disorder, phobias, OCD). |
| 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. |
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
- Explore our guide to cultural genograms for mapping heritage and cultural context.
- See how genograms in social work practice incorporates cultural assessment.
- This example uses the close relationship symbol to denote emotional closeness between family members.
- The conflict relationship symbol marks openly hostile dynamics between family members.
Frequently asked questions
What clinical patterns does the Middle Eastern Extended Family genogram reveal?
The Middle Eastern Extended Family 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.
What cultural factors does the Middle Eastern Extended genogram highlight?
The Middle Eastern Extended genogram highlights culturally specific family structures, values, and intergenerational dynamics. It demonstrates how cultural context influences family roles, relationships, and expectations across generations.
What genogram symbols are used in the Middle Eastern Extended Family example?
This genogram uses Male (Square), Female (Circle), Index Patient (Arrow), Marriage, Parent-Child, Close, Conflict, Anxiety Conditions, Cardiovascular Conditions and Diabetes. 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 Middle Eastern Extended Family 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 13 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
