Morningness-Eveningness, Chronotypes and Health-Impairing Behaviors in Adolescents

Abstract

The impact of diurnal preferences on health-related behaviors is acknowledged but relatively understudied. The aim of this study was threefold: (1) testing the measurement model of the Hungarian version of the reduced Horne-Östberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (Hungarian Version of the rMEQ); (2) estimating chronotypes and their prevalence; and (3) analyzing the relationship between morningness-eveningness/chronotypes and health-impairing behaviors, including smoking, alcohol use, and physical inactivity in adolescents. Self-reported data on the Hungarian version of the rMEQ, smoking, alcohol use, and physical inactivity obtained from Hungarian high-school students (ninth grade, N = 2565) were analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), latent profile analysis (LPA), structural equation modeling, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). A one-factor model of morningness was supported, which included rising time, peak time, retiring time, and self-evaluation of chronotype. Morningness was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of smoking and alcohol use, and also with a lower level of physical inactivity. Using LPA, the authors identified three chronotypes: intermediate type (50.7%), morning type (30.5%), and evening type (18.8%). Compared to the evening-type participants, intermediate- and morning-type participants were significantly less likely to experiment with smoking, to smoke nondaily, and to smoke daily. Moreover, both intermediate- and morning-type students reported less lifetime alcohol use and less physical inactivity than evening-type students. Chronopsychological research can help to understand the relatively unexplored determinants of health-impairing behaviors in adolescents associated with chronotype.

Circadian Typology: A Comprehensive Review

“…ET subjects reported higher consumption -sporadic and habitual-of the three substances. Subsequent international studies have confirmed this observation, and this is of special relevance for adolescent and adult 30 populations (Andershed, 2005;Gau et al, 2007;Urbán et al, 2011;Giannotti et al, 2002;Wittmann et al, 2006). Prat & Adan (2011) have also found ET subjects consumed more illegal drugs (cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine) and hazardous alcohol use than MT.…”

Tipología circadiana y problemas de salud mental

“…En esta línea, los fumadores presentan una marcada tendencia hacia la vespertinidad, así como grandes diferencias a la hora de levantarse de lunes a viernes respecto a los fines de semana (Randler, 2008b;Urbán et al, 2011). También en consumidores crónicos de alcohol es común la presencia de un aplanamiento de la amplitud rítmica tanto de la temperatura corporal como de la melatonina, situación que se vería potenciada por el síndrome de abstinencia (Adan, 2010).…”

Morning or Evening person? Which type are you? Self-assessment of chronotype

“…rMEQ's validation studies (e.g., Jankowski, 2013;Randler, 2013;Urbán et. al., 2011), suggest one item (rMEQ-5) to consistently load strongly on its principal factor.…”