Association of primary caregiver anxiety and caregiving role with early development of preschool children: a population‑based study

Home caregiving environments are critical to early childhood development (ECD), but evidence on the primary caregiver factors in this link is limited. This study examines associations between primary caregiver anxiety, primary caregiver role, and ECD outcomes. This population-based survey was conducted in January 2024 across all 38 districts of Chongqing, China, using a stratified cluster sampling strategy. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) and the Chinese Early Human Capaci