Genogram Relationships
A complete guide to relationship lines and notations used in genograms to represent marital, emotional, and structural family connections.
Marital Relationships
Lines that represent marriage, partnerships, divorce, and other marital statuses.
Marriage Line
A solid horizontal line connecting two people represents a marriage or committed partnership
Engagement Line
A dashed horizontal line represents an engagement or planned marriage
Cohabitation Line
A dotted line represents unmarried partners living together
Separation Line
A marriage line with one diagonal slash indicates separation
Divorce Line
A marriage line with two diagonal slashes indicates divorce
Annulment Line
A marriage line crossed out indicates an annulment
Multiple Marriages
Multiple horizontal lines show successive marriages
Affair Line
A wavy or dashed line to a third person indicates an extramarital affair
Emotional Relationships
Lines that represent the emotional quality of relationships between family members.
Close Relationship
Two parallel solid lines indicate a close, positive relationship
Very Close/Fused Relationship
Three parallel lines indicate an overly close or enmeshed relationship
Distant Relationship
A single dotted line indicates emotional distance
Cutoff Relationship
A line with perpendicular bars indicates an emotional cutoff
Conflict/Hostile Relationship
A zigzag line indicates conflict or hostility
Close but Hostile Relationship
Double lines with zigzag indicates closeness combined with conflict
Fused and Hostile Relationship
Triple lines with zigzag indicates enmeshment with severe conflict
Distant and Hostile Relationship
Dotted zigzag line indicates distance combined with hostility
Focused On Relationship
A line with an arrow pointing to one person indicates focused attention
Abuse Relationship
An arrow with zigzag indicates abuse directed from one person to another
Physical Abuse
A red arrow with zigzag specifically indicates physical abuse
Emotional Abuse
A blue arrow indicates emotional or psychological abuse
Sexual Abuse
A specific marking indicates sexual abuse in the family
Neglect Relationship
A broken arrow indicates neglect directed from caregiver to dependent
Indifferent Relationship
A very thin dotted line indicates indifference or apathy
Manipulative Relationship
A curved arrow indicates manipulation or controlling behavior
Caretaker Relationship
A supportive arrow indicates a caretaking relationship
Jealousy Pattern
Green marking on relationship line indicates jealousy
Admiration Relationship
A line with star or positive marking indicates admiration
Never Met Relationship
A dotted line with question mark indicates people who never met
Structural Connections
Lines that represent parent-child, sibling, and other family structure connections.
Parent-Child Line
A vertical line connecting parents to children represents biological parentage
Adopted Child Line
A dashed vertical line indicates an adopted child relationship
Foster Child Line
A dotted vertical line indicates a foster child relationship
Step-Child Line
A stepped or marked vertical line indicates step-child relationship
Sibling Line
Horizontal lines connecting to siblings from parents
Half-Sibling Line
A partial or marked horizontal line shows half-siblings
Step-Sibling Line
A stepped horizontal line shows step-siblings
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