Introduction: the family is deeply affected by the appearance of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and throughout the chronic process, the changes that this disease can trigger in the family nucleus make it prone to family dysfunction; Furthermore, depressive symptoms have a high incidence among people with T2D, so these variables could be correlated. Methods: a quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional, and prospective study was carried out with a sample of 160 individuals with T2D. The Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) was used to assess depressive symptoms, and the Family Functioning Assessment Instrument was used to assess family functioning. Inferential statistics such as C-Cramer and Rho-Spearman were applied. Results: significant relationships were identified between sex, socioeconomic level and prepandial glucose levels with family functionality. Likewise, a significant relationship was observed between socioeconomic level and depressive symptoms; A significant and negative relationship was also found between family functionality and depressive symptoms in individuals with T2D. Conclusions: nursing and health sciences must consider not only clinical aspects, but also social and family factors when addressing the mental health of people with T2D