The quality of life of 84 children with asthma, aged 7-12 years, and their family functioning was assessed using standard questionnaires. A significant relationship was found between children's reports of their quality of life and several key dimensions of family functioning. The results suggest that independent of their frequency, the extent to which asthma symptoms upset and bother children varies depending on the level of the functioning of the children's families. Treatment approaches designed to improve family functioning may reduce the extent to which children are bothered by their asthma symptoms and thus improve their quality of life.