Relationship Between Chinese Adolescents' Sleep Status and Problem Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Mental Health.

Adolescents' problem behaviors constitute a critical indicator of crime, and they play an important role in the growth and development of adolescents and social stability. Using the 2014-2015 school year follow-up data from the China Education Panel Survey, this study investigated the relationship between sleep time, sleep disorders, and adolescents' problem behaviors. Further, we analyzed the mediating effect of mental health status, a key factor influencing adolescent growth and development. The results showed that the frequency of problem behaviors among adolescents was significantly and positively associated with sleep disorders and short sleep time. In addition, mental health status is a channel through which sleep time and sleep disorders affect adolescents' problem behaviors.