Ana C. Ceja-Bojorge, Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 9, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Leticia Blanco-Castillo, Centro de Investigación Educativa y Formación Docente, IMSS. Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Marina Ramírez-Torres, Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 9, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Querétaro, Querétaro, México
María G. Arredondo-Delgado, Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 9, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Background: The family structure has evolved into various emerging types, such as single-parent families, which, due to their characteristics, have higher prevalence of mental disorders. Objective: To determine the relationship between family functioning and generalized anxiety disorder in single-parent families. Material and methods: This was an observational, analytical, cross-sectional, comparative study involving 440 children from single-parent families. Participants were divided into two groups based on the family functioning questionnaire (FF-SIL). Quantitative variables were compared using the χ2, and qualitative variables were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Statistical significance was determined with p < 0.05. Results: In families where single-parenthood was due to divorce/separation and family was functional, the absence of anxiety predominated (49.3%), compared to dysfunctional families where mild anxiety was more common (33.7%). No patients had single-parent status due to adoption. In families where single-parenthood was due to the death of a parent and the family was functional, the absence of anxiety predominated (45%), compared to dysfunctional families, where severe anxiety predominated (35.5%). Conclusions: The most common cause of single-parenthood in both groups was divorce/separation. Family functioning influences the level of anxiety, regardless of type of single-parenthood, especially in cases of parental death and forced parenthood.
Keywords: Anxiety. Single-parenthood. Family functionality.