ReviewTranslational pediatrics2025
Family functioning and anxiety in children: a narrative review.
Review in Translational pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Plasma chromogranin a levels and their role in the etiology of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
- Association Between Internet Addiction and Comorbid Anxiety and Depression in Chinese Children and Adolescents: A Latent Profile Analysis and Network Analysis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Family Dynamics and Depression Among Children: An Integrative Review of Theoretical Models and Attachment-Based Interventions.Psychology research and behavior management · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
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 functioning and childhood anxiety. Healthy family functioning is associated with a lower risk of childhood anxiety, whereas childhood anxiety can negatively impact parental emotions and contribute to poor family functioning. The parent-child attachment relationship appears to mediate the link between family functioning and anxiety. Secure attachment relationships may mitigate the detrimental effects of specific family structures (e.g., single-parent and grandparent-headed households) and adverse parenting practices (e.g., overindulgence, neglect, and indifference) on children's mental health. However, existing research has predominantly focused on the cohesion and adaptability dimensions of family functioning, identifying cohesion as a significant predictor of childhood anxiety. Conclusions: Future research should further investigate how different dimensions of family functioning and secure attachment relationships can reduce the risk of childhood anxiety. Additionally, future studies should explore the multifaceted pathways through which other aspects of family functioning influence childhood anxiety and consider strategies that integrate the strengths of families, schools, and communities to promote children's mental health. From a clinical psychotherapy perspective, this review offers insights and practical guidance on the impact of family functioning on childhood anxiety, with the overarching goal of mitigating the risk of mental health problems.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.