Zhang Zhe, Cai Zimo, Meng Qian
College of Education, Bohai University, 19 Keji Road, Jinzhou, 121013, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):21193. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-08635-6.
The rate of depression among university students is increasing. University students experiencing negative life events are at risk of developing depression, which could further decrease their academic engagement. In addition, negative life events are often accompanied by sleep problems. This study used a cross-sectional design to explore the complex relationships among negative life events, sleep quality, and depression in university students, with a particular focus on whether sleep quality serves as a mediating factor in the association between negative life events and depression. Three self-report scales were completed by 828 participants recruited from three universities. The results revealed that negative life events and sleep quality had a significant effect on depression separately and that sleep quality played a mediating role in the relationship between negative life events and depression in university students. Our study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationships among negative life events, sleep quality, and depression and has important implications for the prevention and intervention of depressive symptoms in university students. By acknowledging the role of negative life events, educators and counselors can be more proactive in identifying students who may be struggling and providing them with the necessary support. By understanding the mediating role of sleep quality, university students can more effectively recognize and manage their mental health needs and cultivate resilience strategies to handle stressors to reduce their risk of developing depressive symptoms.
大学生中抑郁症的发病率正在上升。经历负面生活事件的大学生有患抑郁症的风险，这可能会进一步降低他们的学业参与度。此外，负面生活事件往往伴随着睡眠问题。本研究采用横断面设计，探讨大学生负面生活事件、睡眠质量和抑郁症之间的复杂关系，特别关注睡眠质量是否在负面生活事件与抑郁症的关联中起中介作用。来自三所大学的828名参与者完成了三个自我报告量表。结果显示，负面生活事件和睡眠质量分别对抑郁症有显著影响，并且睡眠质量在大学生负面生活事件与抑郁症的关系中起中介作用。我们的研究有助于更深入地理解负面生活事件、睡眠质量和抑郁症之间的关系，对大学生抑郁症状的预防和干预具有重要意义。通过认识到负面生活事件的作用，教育工作者和辅导员可以更积极主动地识别可能遇到困难的学生，并为他们提供必要的支持。通过了解睡眠质量的中介作用，大学生可以更有效地认识和管理自己的心理健康需求，并培养应对压力源的复原力策略，以降低患抑郁症状的风险。
