Interactive use of genograms and ecomaps in family caregiving research

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Neufeld, Anne
  • Rempel, Gwen R.
  • Kushner, Kaysi E.

• In this paper, we argue for the concurrent and comparative use of genograms and ecomaps in family caregiving research. A genogram is graphic portrayal of the composition and structure of one’s family and an ecomap is a graphic portrayal of a person or family’s social relationships. Although development and utilization of genograms and ecomaps is rooted in clinical practice with families, as research tools they provide data that can enhance the researcher’s understanding of family member experiences. In our qualitative research of the supportive and nonsupportive interactions experienced by men family caregivers, the interactive use of genograms and ecomaps (i) facilitated increased understanding of social networks as a context for caregiving, (ii) promoted a relational process between researcher and participant, and (iii) uncovered findings such as unrealized potential in the participant’s social network that may not be revealed with the use of the genogram or ecomap alone, or the non-comparative use of both.

• Date created

  2007

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Social support
  • Family caregiving
  • Ecomaps
  • Genograms
  • Qualitative methods

• Type of Item

  Conference/Workshop Presentation

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3KD1QS14

• License

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