Background: Anxiety disorders represent the highest prevalence of all psychiatric disorders of childhood and adolescence, causes of these disorders are diverse; are involved biological, environmental and psychosocial factors, how a psychosocial risk factor is the family atmosphere. Objective: determine whether the family function is associated with severity of anxiety disorder in children 8 to 12 years. Material and method: study Observational, analytic, transversal and prospective conducted in a population of children aged 8 to 12 years diagnosed with anxiety disorder, entitled Naval Hospital Specialties Veracruz. 2 tests were applied, the first assesses the severity of anxiety disorder (SCAS) and second functionality by child family Apgar. Results: 107 patients where 24.3% of them identified with severe anxiety were included; belonging to a functional family had an OR of 0.1 (95% CI from 0.07 to 0.5), have family dysfunction showed an OR of 5.3 (95% CI 2.0 - 13.9) and have a severe family dysfunction allowed an OR of 62.6 (95% CI calculate 3.4 -114.5) all value of p <0.05. Conclusion: There is a positive association between family dysfunction and severity of anxiety disorder.
