Which assessment method maps family structure and relationships across generations to understand system dynamics?

• A. Genogram or family systems assessment
• B. Case history
• C. Risk assessment
• D. Narrative therapy

Answer: (A)

Mapping family structure across generations to understand how the family system operates is best done with a genogram, a visual diagram that charts family members, relationships, marriages, divorces, adoptions, and major life events across multiple generations, often including health and behavioral patterns. This tool makes visible patterns, recurring roles, boundaries, alliances, and conflicts that shape how the family functions, revealing intergenerational dynamics that influence current behavior and functioning. Seeing these patterns helps a clinician assess how family rules and interactions persist and where interventions might shift interactional patterns. The other approaches focus on different things: a case history centers on an individual’s life story; a risk assessment concentrates on safety and potential danger; and narrative therapy is a therapeutic approach that works with clients to re-author their stories rather than map family structure.