Morningness-eveningness, current depression, and past suicidality

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Chronobiology
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Existing literature suggests a correlation between evening chronotypes and increased susceptibility to mood disorders.
• Understanding the relationship between sleep-wake cycles and mental well-being is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between evening preference (eveningness) and specific indicators of psychological distress.
• To examine if being an evening person correlates with depression, hopelessness, defeat, and entrapment.

Main Methods:

• A correlational design was employed with 194 undergraduate students (54 males, 140 females; mean age 21.6 years).
• Participants' eveningness was assessed using the Horne and Östberg Morningness-Eveningness Scale.
• Data were analyzed to correlate eveningness scores with measures of depression, hopelessness, defeat, and entrapment.

Main Results:

• Self-identified evening people and higher scores on the Morningness-Eveningness Scale were significantly correlated with increased scores on measures of depression, hopelessness, defeat, and entrapment.
• No significant correlation was found between eveningness and a history of suicidal ideation or attempts.
• Findings support previous research linking evening chronotypes to negative psychological outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Being an evening person is associated with a higher prevalence of depression and related negative psychological states.
• The study highlights the importance of considering chronotype in mental health assessments, particularly for affective disorders.
• Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms underlying this association and its clinical implications.