The Effect of Adolescent Life Events and Negative Emotions: The Mediating Roles of Loneliness and Social Support

To investigate the relationship between adolescent life events and negative emotions, as well as the mediating roles of loneliness and social support between them. A questionnaire survey was conducted among adolescents using the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check-list, the Depression-Anxiety- -Stress Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Loneliness Scale. A total of 3852 adolescents were obtained. Adolescent life events, loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression were all significantly positively correlated with each other. Social support was significantly negatively correlated with all variables. Loneliness and social support significantly mediated the relationship between life events and anxiety, depression. Additionally, loneliness significantly mediated the relationship between life events and stress. Adolescent life events not only affect negative emotions directly, but also indirectly through the mediating effects of loneliness and social support.