Family functioning and anxiety in children: a narrative review.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objective

Anxiety is a prevalent emotional problem in children, with family functioning serving as a protective factor. This review examines the relationship between family functioning and childhood anxiety to inform the development of interventions aimed at reducing childhood anxiety within the theoretical framework of family systems.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in the PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) electronic databases. The search included Chinese- and English-language studies on family functioning and anxiety in children, with publication dates ranging from the inception of the databases to January 1, 2025.

Key content and findings

The reviewed literature indicates a bidirectional relationship between family f

SUBMITTER: Ye ZY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12552171 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature