title: Family functioning, social support, and quality of life for patients with anxiety disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have examined the relationship between family functioning, social support and quality of life in patients with anxiety disorder. There is a paucity of research on anxiety disorders and their predictors in China.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore family functioning, social support and quality of life for patients with anxiety disorder and examine the relationship between these elements.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 107 patients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) criteria for anxiety disorder and 80 healthy controls completed the McMaster Family Assessment Device, the Perceived Social Support Scale and the short form of the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings indicate that patients with anxiety disorder in China tend to have poor family functioning and quality of life, as well as a higher subjective perception of social support. There were strong correlations between family functioning, social support and quality of life. Affective involvement and not living with parents were identified as risk factors for anxiety disorders, while a high family income was a protective factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety disorder is associated with reduced family functioning and poorer quality of life for Chinese patients. In addition, the Family Assessment Device is a suitable instrument for evaluating family functioning in Chinese patients with anxiety disorder.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China jkwang.brown@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jikun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Cuicui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xudong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications; D002681:China; D005195:Family Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Anxiety disorder; family functioning; quality of life; social support