The Role of Family Function in Adolescent's Anxiety and Depression

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of family function in depression and anxiety among adolescents. According to McMaster model, Family functions such as problem solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, affective involvement and behavior control were examined to evaluate family function. In this descriptive study, Statistical sample was formed from 180 girl adolescents who selected through cluster sampling were studying at first, second and third grad of high school. Demographic Information Form, McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and Cattle anxiety scale are applied to collecting data. The results of the study show that the adolescents with anxiety and depression report significantly dysfunctional family functions in subscales such as problem solving, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, and behavior control than healthy adolescents. This study shows that anxiety and Depression is related with dysfunctional family functioning among adolescents. So During psychotherapy of adolescents with anxiety and depression, psychotherapists must be aware of this effect and give importance to relations of the adolescent with their family.