Pathways linking loneliness and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of sleep disturbance.

Background: Despite growing evidence linking loneliness and depressive symptoms, the underlying pathways remain unclear. This study aims to assess the impact of loneliness on depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and investigate the potential mediating role of sleep disturbance.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2021.