This may have significant and adverse effects on the process of treatment and may lead to termination of contract. Other ethical codes of conduct include avoiding sexual relations with clients, or their close relatives. This allows a client to express consent freely and without external influence. This definitely will include some risks as well as benefits accrued from following the treatment procedure. Therapists are required to obtain consent from a client but also are obligated to ensure that he or she fully understands the procedures involved.Ī client is entitled to recognize the procedures he or she is about to undergo so that an informed decision can be made. As stipulated by the AAMAF, performing a Genogram assessment requires a non-discriminatory approach whether on the basis of status, disability, gender, sexual orientation, nationality or other factors (Dishion & Stormshak, 2007). There are stipulated ethical codes of conduct that psychologists are obligated to follow while offering their services to clients.
The American Association For Marriage And Family Therapy is an institution that safeguards the welfare of family members. Psychologists find it easy to assess a problem of clients by using their genealogical history. By studying the patterns that lead to certain mistakes done in families, one can avoid falling into the same trap. For instance, in a family where early pregnancies are reported, then an individual can take precautionary measures not to engage in the practices that lead to that. When a psychologist studies the hereditary patterns of an individual, it becomes easy to plan and take precautions to avoid a repetitive behavior or undesirable characteristics. Preventive measures can be deliberated when particular patterns are detected using the Genogram. Family inclination and cultural influence have great impacts on the psychological make-up of a person hence considering these factors in psychology is virtually imperative (American Psychological Association, 2002). In psychology, Genograms are helpful as they help psychologists to view a client in a broader context putting into consideration all the surrounding factors. This can be useful in studying facts about a family including marriage stability in a family, naming patterns, the general level of academic pursuit, tendencies for early pregnancies to mention but a few (American Psychological Association, 2002). Individuals can be related through the family, social or emotional relationship among others (Dishion & Stormshak, 2007).Ī Genogram seeks to represent and record family history by engaging every member of that family individually (American Psychological Association, 2002). This helps in distinguishing the different ways through which an individual relates to the members represented in it. In a Genogram, relationships can be distinguished by the use of color-coded lines. It is the broad scope of a Genogram that enables psychologists to track repetitive characteristics and predominant hereditary patterns (Van, Dunlap & Shore, 2008). Genograms will give details about the conduct of your family members and behavior for instance if your cousin is a drug addict or your other cousin who is got pregnant in college. For instance, it gives information about the schools his children attend, how they relate to their parents and their social behaviors and much more details concerning their lives (American Psychological Association, 2002). A good example of contents in a Genogram is that while it shows that John is your uncle, it also gives detailed information on his family and their interaction. They not only show the family members and how they are related by blood, but also show the individual social interaction in families. Genograms contained detailed information on a hereditary pattern of a family. Genograms have gained popularity in a number of fields including medical practice, social work and psychology. This representation can be used to track repetitive patterns in a family hence giving vital genetic predispositions.
Unlike a family tree, Genograms represent a visual display of hereditary patterns including psychological factors that influence relationships (Dishion & Stormshak, 2007). A Genogram is a pictographic illustration of family relationships as well as its medical accounts (Gregory, 1998).