Objective: To explore the relationship between depression and life events among junior middle school students in Shanghai, and to provide the scientific reference for the construction of psychology in the schools. Methods: A total of 3 648 junior middle school students were investigated by the Chinese version of the Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale and Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List(ASLEC) , to measure their depression and life events. χ2 test and multiple stepwise regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of depression. Results: Among 3 648 junior middle school students, 846 were positive for depression, and the detection rate of depression was 23.2%. There was a statistically significant difference in the detection rate of depression among junior middle school students in different grades(χ2=143.24，P<0.01). Study pressure(r=0.54), interpersonal relationship(r=0.54), other(r=0.51), health adaptation(r=0.41), being punished(r=0.40), and loss(r=0.26) in the Adolescent Life Events Scale were positively correlated with depression (P<0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that being punished and loss scores had negative association with depression scores(β=-0.10, -0.08). Interpersonal relationships, study pressure, health adaptation and other scores had positive predictive effects on depression scores(β=0.29, 0.26, 0.04, 0.22)(P<0.05). Conclusion There was a wide positive correlation between depression and life events in junior middle school students. Some factors of life events had certain predictive effects on depression of junior middle school students in Shanghai.