Background: China's vocational high school students, approximately 13 million, confront unique stressors that may predispose them to depression. Our research investigates core and bridge depressive symptoms and their causal links with stressors in this demographic.

Method: We measured depressive symptoms and stressful life events in 4967 students aged 14–19 using the PHQ-8 and ASLEC, and analyzed the data using GGM and DAG to explore: 1) central depressive symptoms; 2) bridge symptoms/events; and 3) causal relationships.

Results: Fatigue surfaced as the central depressive symptom, with guilt, sad mood, and school dislike as bridges to stressors. Guilt was pivotal in influencing other symptoms within the depression network. Fights were a primary trigger, while school dislike led to further depressive symptoms. Stressors generally led to depression, notably the study pressure to guilt pathway. A unique sad mood to heartbreak link was found.

Conclusions: Core depression symptoms and bridge symptoms/events between depression and stressful life events in vocational high school students were pinpointed. The results highlight the importance of addressing interpersonal conflicts, family pressures, and emotions like fatigue and guilt to mitigate the transmission of stressful life events into depressive symptoms.