A Different Final Exam: Using Students' Own Family Genograms

Abstract

The focus of the brief articles to follow for this issue of the journal were selected to provide the reader with some short and to-the-point examples of how supervisors are integrating thefamily approach within the classroom and the therapeutic setting. The first article addresses a rather unique approach 0f assessing students within an introductory caurse in family dynamics. The second article addresses how one might implement a therapeutic intervention within the family counseling session.

Using Genograms as a Tool for Insight in College Counseling

“…The incorporation of the genogram into graduatelevel course work on family systems has been found to increase awareness of the concept of family systems. Its use seems to foster insight into personal family issues by providing students with a method to connect systemic concepts to their own family systems (Halevy, 1998;Pistole, 1998 Although genograms have demonstrated their worth as a teaching tool to convey family systems concepts to graduate students, little research has been conducted on the efficacy of genograms in college counseling settings. Vinson (1995), using genograms as a structured activity with college students in a retreat context, found them to be powerful aids in college group counseling.…”

“…Genograms are useful tools that can serve to gather data, to assess current levels of functioning, to generate hypotheses, and to increase client awareness of underlying emotional processes (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2000).…”

“…T mainstay of many family therapy models, the genogram was initially developed by Murray Bowen and is used to analyze the patterns, roles, relationships, and functions that exist within a particular family system (Nichols & Schwartz, 1998). Genograms are useful tools that can serve to gather data, to assess current levels of functioning, to generate hypotheses, and to increase client awareness of underlying emotional processes (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2000).…”

“…The incorporation of the genogram into graduatelevel course work on family systems has been found to increase awareness of the concept of family systems. Its use seems to foster insight into personal family issues by providing students with a method to connect systemic concepts to their own family systems (Halevy, 1998;Pistole, 1998). Emerson (1995) indicated that graduate students have found this type of exercise to be valuable and insightful.…”

“…The high rate of family issues that are seen in college counseling centers as presenting problems is in large part because of the developmental transitions that most college students are experiencing (Mendalie & Rockwell, 1989). College students of traditional age fall within the family life cycle stage known as "launching the single young adult" (Carter &McGoldrick 1988;Gladding, 1998). Major tasks associated with this stage are differentiation from the family of origin, identity formation, developing intimacy and mature relationships, and choosing a career (Gladding, 1998).…”