Circadian preference as a typology: Latent-class analysis of adolescents' morningness/eveningness, relation with sleep behavior, and with academic outcomes

Abstract

This paper investigates a quadrant-based typology of circadian preference including morning (M) types (high morningness, low eveningness), evening (E) types (low morningness, high eveningness), low M-E types (low morningness and low eveningness), and high M-E types (high morningness and eveningness). In Study 1, a latent class analysis of circadian preference was conducted using a representative sample of 1022 9th grade students (50.00% females; mean age: 14.98 years) and relations to academic outcomes were investigated. A 4-class solution comprised 39% evening types, 21% morning types, 27% low M-E types, and 13% high M-E types. There were no gender differences in the frequency of morning or evening types. More females were low M-E types and more males were high M-E types. Lower academic performance related to having an evening preference. In Study 2, test-criterion evidence of the typology was examined based on data from sleep diaries of 129 9th to 10th grade students (44.96%; mean age: 15.6 years). Types did not differ in sleep duration. Findings supported the well-known differences in sleep timing and behavior between morning and evening types; high M-E types and low M-E types did not differ in their sleeping behavior.