Dyadic associations between testosterone and relationship quality in couples

Testosterone is thought to be positively associated with “mating effort”, or the initiation and establishment of sexual relationships (Wingfield et al., 1990). Yet, because testosterone is negatively associated with nurturance (van Anders et al., 2011), high levels of testosterone may be incompatible with relationship maintenance. For instance, partnered men with high testosterone report lower relationship quality compared to partnered men with low testosterone (e.g., Booth and Dabbs, 1993). Findings for women are inconsistent, however, and even less is known about potential dyadic associations between testosterone and relationship quality in couples. In the current report, we assessed relationship satisfaction, commitment, and investment in heterosexual couples and tested the hypothesis that these aspects of relationship quality would be negatively associated with an individual's own and his/her partner's testosterone levels. We found that testosterone was in fact negatively associated with relationship satisfaction and commitment in both men and women. There was also evidence for dyadic associations: Participants' satisfaction and commitment were negatively related to their partners' levels of testosterone, and these associations were larger for women's than men's testosterone. Our findings are consistent with the idea that high testosterone may be incompatible with the maintenance of nurturant relationships. The current findings also provide some of the first evidence for dyadic associations between testosterone and relationship quality in couples, highlighting the interdependent nature of close relationship processes and the importance of considering this interdependence in social neuroendocrine research.     

Heritability of Morningness‐Eveningness and Self‐Report Sleep Measures in a Family‐Based Sample of 521 Hutterites

Individual variation in the phase and amplitude of human circadian rhythms is well known, but the impact of heritable factors on such variation is less clear. We estimated the narrow‐sense heritability for selected circadian and sleep timing, quality, and duration measures among related members of the Hutterites, an endogamous, religious community (n=521 participants). “Morningness‐eveningness” (M/E), a stable trait reflecting circadian phase, was evaluated using the Composite Scale (CS). Subjective sleep measures were assessed using the Sleep Timing Questionnaire. Initial analyses reconfirmed the impact of age on M/E. Previously reported correlations between M/E scores and the sleep measures were also noted, demonstrating the construct validity of the questionnaires among the participants. Following corrections for age, gender, and colony of residence, significant narrow‐sense heritability was noted for M/E (23%). The heritability for subjective sleep measures (related to timing, duration, and quality) were statistically significant for all but one variable, and varied between 12.4% and 29.4%. Thus, significant heritable influences on human circadian phase and subjective sleep indices can be detected through family‐based studies. In view of the impact of circadian malfunction on human health, it may be worthwhile to map genetic factors impacting circadian and sleep variation.     

The relationships between self-efficacy,self-control,chronotype, procrastination and sleep problems in young adults

ABSTRACT

The main aim of our study was to examine whether there was a relationship between psychological characteristics such as self-efficacy, self-control and chronotype as well as procrastination on the one hand and sleep problems on the other. There were 315 young adults aged between 18 and 27 years (M = 20.57). We used the General Procrastination Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Brief Self-Control Scale, the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Our results indicated that low self-efficacy, low self-control and eveningness were positive predictors of procrastination. The reciprocal relationship exists between procrastination and sleep problems. Procrastination positively contributed to sleep problems, whereas sleep problems were a negative predictor of procrastination.     

Morningness–eveningness and affective temperaments assessed by the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis,Pisa and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A)

Chronotype is a stable trait presenting one’s circardian preference. Since chronotype disturbances are common in patients with affective disorders, our aim is to evaluate chronotypes related to affective temperaments, measured with the temperament evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A). The study included 618 subjects (151 men and 467 women) within the framework of web-based design. They all fulfilled a questionnaire, consisting of the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), Sleep Wake Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SWPAQ), and the TEMPS-A scale. Multiple regression models revealed that after controlling for age and gender: irritable and cyclothymic temperaments were negatively associated with total CSM score, CSM morning affect and circadian preference components, Sleepability (S), Vigilance (V), Wakeability (W) and positively with Morningness (M) and Eveningness (E) subscales of SWPAQ; anxious temperament was negatively associated with total CSM scores, CSM morning affect and with S, V, W subscales of SWPAQ; depressive temperament was negatively associated with Falling asleep, S, V, W subscales of SWPAQ; hyperthymic temperament was positively associated with CSM morning affect and V, W and negatively with M subscales of SWPAQ. The results show distinctiveness of the associations between hyperthymic temperament and circadian preferences, compared to all other TEMPS-A temperaments (depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious). In the CMS scale, only hyperthymic temperament was related to morning affect. In the SWPAQ scale, hyperthymic temperament was the only one associated with earlier morningness (earlier wake up time preference), increased parameters of vigor – wakeability, vigilance, and also the only one not associated with decreased plasticity of circadian rhythm (sleepability and falling asleep). Results also point to some similarities between cyclothymic and irritable temperaments in some aspects of the chronotype.     

Cyberbullying perpetration among undergraduates: evidence of the roles of chronotype and sleep quality

Cyberbullying is one of the important negative issues among adolescents and youngsters. Victims of cyberbullying perpetration have been reported to suffer many psychological and emotional problems that can lead them as far to suicide. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the associations of cyberbullying perpetration with gender, personality traits, chronotype, and sleep quality. Three hundred and fifty-three freshman and sophomore university students from Turkey (45.9% (n = 162) female and 54.1% (n = 191) male) completed a questionnaire that included Cyberbullying Scale, Big-5 Inventory, Composite Scale of Morningness, and Sleep Quality Scale. The most conspicuous result of the study was that chronotype and sleep quality were significant predictors of cyberbullying perpetration. Evening-type students had significantly higher scores on cyberbullying scale than neither-type students and morning-type students, and also neither-type students had higher scores on cyberbullying scale than morning-type students. Further, poorer sleep quality, being male, higher extraversion, higher neuroticism, and lower conscientiousness were related to higher cyberbullying perpetration.     

Morningness–eveningness and sleep habits at school: a comparative study between Mexico and Spain

Morningness–eveningness and sleep habits relationship were studied between Mexican and Spanish adolescents. A total sample of 611 Mexican and Spanish adolescents (13–15 years old; 14.12 ± 0.75) participated in this comparative study and filled out the preferred timing of sleep and activity using item 19 of Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire and reported sleep habits from open questions about typical bed and rise times during the weekdays and weekends. Spanish adolescents reported differences in sleep habits according to sex and chronotype, whereas Mexican adolescents only reported differences regarding chronotype on weekends. When country effect was analyzed, the most relevant result was the short sleep length on weekdays of Mexican adolescents (7:11 vs. 8:05), who reported earlier weekday rise time (6:11 vs. 7:15) but similar weekday bedtime (23:00 vs. 23:09) compared to Spanish adolescents. Sleep habits among Mexicans seem more influenced by a social factor related to school schedule than environmental factor related to latitude.     

Transcultural properties of the composite scale of morningness: the relevance of the "morning affect" factor

Morningness scales have been translated into several languages, but a lack of normative data and methodological differences make cross-cultural comparisons difficult. This study examines the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) in samples from five countries: France (n=627), Italy (n=702), Spain (n=391), Thailand (n=503), and Australia (n=654). Strong national differences are identified. A quadratic relationship between age and CSM total score was apparent in the Australian data with a downward trend after age 35 yrs. There was no age effect in any sample in the range from 18 to 29 yrs. Factor analysis identified a three-factor solution in all groups for both men and women. Tucker's congruence coefficients indicate that: (1) this solution is highly congruent between sexes in each culture, and (2) a morning affect factor is highly congruent between cultures. These results indicate there are national differences in factorial structure and that cut-off scores used to categorize participants as morning- and evening-types should be established for different cultural and age groups.     

Preliminary findings for the validity of the Morningness–Eveningness-Stability Scale improved (MESSi): Correlations with activity levels and personality

Aim of the present study is an additional validation of the Morningness–Eveningness-Stability Scale improved (MESSi). We screened a total of 97 German students using the reduced Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) to identify a subsample (N = 42) of definite morning and evening types (31% males, mean age: 24.8 ± 5.8?years). The participants provided information about their sleep–wake rhythm (diary), personality traits (questionnaire) and experienced actigraphic monitoring. Correlations of the MESSi components “Morning affect subscale” (MA) (r = 0.91, p < 0.01) and “Eveningness subscale” (r = ?0.87, p < 0.01) with the rMEQ showed good convergent validity. MA was also significantly negatively correlated with the acrophase and the midpoint of sleep as measured by actigraphy.     

Adaptation of the Morningness–Eveningness Stability Scale improved (MESSi) into Turkish

Morningness–eveningness is an individual difference that is related with various traits such as behavioral problems, personality, and health. The aim of the current study is to adopt the Morningness–Eveningness Stability Scale improved (MESSi) which is a novel assessment tool that consists of subscales of morning affect (MA), eveningness (EV), and distinctness (DI) into Turkish. Concurrent validity of the MESSi along with Big five inventory (BIG-5), Subjective alertness level, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were analyzed. The scale was administered to 1,076 high school and university students aged 14–47 years (M = 19.49, SD = 3.53). The explanatory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed the three-factor structure of MESSi. According to the concurrent validity result of the MESSi with BIG-5, conscientiousness was found to correlate positively with MA and negatively with EV. Also, extraversion showed a negative correlation with DI and positive correlation with MA. Furthermore, the subjective alertness rating results showed that MA was positively related to alertness in the morning hours and negatively in the evening hours. Also, sleep quality-related results showed that EV and DI are positively related to total PSQI scores and negatively related to MA. In addition, concerning positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA), MA was positively related with PA and negatively with NA, while DI was negatively related with PA and positively with NA. In overall, MESSi is a valid and reliable instrument and can be used in Turkish students.     

Psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Composite Scale of Morningness

Morningness–eveningness preference is commonly measured by questionnaires, such as the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM). Purpose of our study was to assess the Russian translation of the CSM and provide psychometric properties of this scale. Participants (N = 406) were students from high schools and university in Petrozavodsk. Mean age was 20.47 ± 3.66 with a range of 12–38 years. Mean CSM scores were 31.43 ± 6.32, with a range from 14 to 50. Internal reliability, as measured by Cronbach’s α, was 0.823. There was no negative correlation among the items. The reliability of 0.82 is good and fits into previous work done with the CSM in many different countries. The factor structure appears as a two-factor structure based on parallel analysis and a three-factor structure based on the eigenvalue greater than one criterion. We suggest retaining the two-factor structure, one factor could be labelled as morning affect and the other one as self-assessment/activity planning. Construct validity was checked with the MCTQ and showed that the correlations between midpoint of sleep and CSM are comparable to other studies.     

The relationship between chronotype and obesity in children and adolescent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

ABSTRACT

Children and adolescents with Attention De?cit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have a high prevalence of obesity, but the relationship between these two problems is not clear. Chronotype preferences may be one of the possible mechanisms underlying the link between ADHD and obesity. This is the ?rst study to investigate whether chronotype preferences are a mechanism linking ADHD symptoms to obesity in children and adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 110 drug-naive children and adolescents aged 7–17 years with ADHD. The Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia‐Present and Lifetime Version (K‐SADS‐PL) was used to diagnose ADHD or to exclude psychiatric comorbidity. The Conners’ Parents Rating Scale-Revised Short Version (CPRS-RS) and Children’s Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ) were used to assess the severity of ADHD symptoms and chronotype preferences. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and classified according to national age- and gender-specific reference values. The participants were divided into three groups as normal weight (<85%, n = 38), overweight (85%-95%, n = 30) and obesity (>95%, n = 42) according to their BMI percentile. There were statistically significant differences between the three groups in terms of chronotype preference (p = .000). Morningness preference was 86.84% in the normal BMI group and 26.19% in the obese BMI group. Eveningness preference was 7.89% in the normal BMI group and 61.90% in the obese BMI group. There was a correlation between the BMI percentile scores and the morningness/eveningness scale (M/E) scores. Moreover, there was a correlation between the BMI percentile scores and the oppositional and ADHD index scores. According to logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of having evening type for obesity was 5.66 and the odds ratio of having morning type for normal weight was 13.03. Independently from ADHD symptoms, eveningness was directly related to obesity and morningness was directly related to normal weight. Prospective studies should be performed to better understand the relationship between ADHD, overweight/obesity and chronotype.     

Chronotype preference matters for depression in youth

Morningness/eveningness (M/E) preference is an important circadian rhythm indicator with strong individual variation. M/E chronotype has been found to be correlated with depression in adults, yet the relationship is less clear in children and adolescents. Additionally, poor sleep quality is another commonly studied risk factor for depression. The aims of the present study are to investigate the independent effects of M/E chronotype on youth depression using both self-report and parental-report questionnaires. We also evaluated how poor sleep quality may affect the relationship through a mediating or moderating effect. In total, 2,139 students attending grades 1 to 7 participated in this study. They completed questionnaires regarding M/E chronotype, depression, and sleep quality. A total of 1,708 parents also participated and filled out parental-reports of emotional and behavioral problems of their children. The prevalence of self- and parental-report depression was 16.8% and 12.8% among young students, respectively. Overall, 15.4% of the students were the eveningness type. Being an eveningness type was independently associated with self-report depression after adjustment for poor sleep quality (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.07–3.24). We also observed that poor sleep quality mediated the influence of M/E chronotype on self-report depression among students aged 7–13 years (p < 0.001). On the other hand, being an eveningness type was associated with a number of parental-report emotional and behavioral problems in the students, in addition to depression, although these associations become non-significant after adjusted for poor sleep quality. Our results demonstrate the importance of M/E chronotype on youth depression and poor sleep quality partly mediates this effect.     

Angry night birds: Emotionality,activity and sociability temperament in adolescent chronotypes

ABSTRACT

There is growing interest in personality profiles associated with morningness–eveningness to foster an understanding of the behaviors and mental states of chronotypes. This study aimed to analyze the domains of emotionality, activity and sociability (EAS) temperament in relation to morningness–eveningness in adolescents. A sample of 539 school pupils aged 13–19 years completed the EAS Temperament Survey, the Composite Scale of Morningness and the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. Amongst the five EAS domains (emotionality-distress, emotionality-fearfulness, emotionality-anger, activity and sociability), greater emotionality-anger was related to eveningness, while greater emotionality-distress was related to lower social jet lag. The results suggest that evening chronotypes can be temperamentally inclined to anger. The possible mechanisms of this association are discussed.     

Morningness/eveningness and satisfaction with life in a Polish sample

Previous studies have provided evidence that eveningness could be related to disadvantageous individual characteristics. The hypothesis that more evening-oriented individuals exhibit lower satisfaction with life has been tested by Randler using a sample of 164 German university students, and this showed that eveningness is associated with lower satisfaction with life (r =?.177). The aim of the present study was to answer the question of whether or not this relationship is culturally independent, and would exist if a sample from another geographical location and culture had been studied. A sample of 349 residents (149 men) aged between 13 and 59 yrs from two Polish cities completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Analysis revealed that morningness was related to greater life satisfaction (r =?.105), regardless of age and sex. The magnitude of this relationship did not differ significantly between the Polish and the German sample, which suggests that the magnitude and direction of association between morningness/eveningness and satisfaction with life could be independent of culture or geographical location.     

Validation of the MESSi among adult workers and young students: General health and personality correlates

The aim of this study was to provide validity for the Spanish version of the Morningness–Eveningness-Stability Scale – improved (MESSi), a novel evolved assessment of circadian typology which considers the subjective phase and amplitude by morning affect (MA), eveningness (EV) and distinctness (DI; subjective amplitude) sub-scales. Convergence validity of the MESSi with the reduced Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) and relationships with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and sensitivity to reward and punishment (SR and SP) were analyzed. Two different Spanish samples, young undergraduate students (n = 891, 18–30 years) and adult workers (n = 577, 31–65 years) participated in this study. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) of MESSi displayed acceptable fit of a three-factors measurement model. Percentiles of the MA, EV and DI sub-scales were obtained for students and adults. The MESSi showed good convergence validity with the rMEQ scores, with a higher correlation coefficient between MA, EV and lower with DI sub-scales. In both, young students and adult workers, MA was negatively related with the GHQ-12 and SP, but the percentage of explained variance (6% and 3%) was lower than the positive correlations between DI, the GHQ-12 and SP (20% and 13%). Morning types presented higher MA and lower EV scores than the other two typologies in both students and adult workers, whereas only differences in DI were found among students (lowest in evening type). Candidates to psychological symptoms and mental disorders (“true cases”), with the clinical cut-off criteria of the GHQ-12, showed lower MA and higher DI in students, whereas only DI was higher for “true cases” among adults. These results supported that subjective amplitude is a factor related to, but also differentiated of, morningness–eveningness (preferred time for a certain activity). The measure of amplitude might be more important than circadian phase in health consequences.     

Transcultural Properties of the Composite Scale of Morningness: The Relevance of the “Morning Affect” Factor

Morningness scales have been translated into several languages, but a lack of normative data and methodological differences make cross‐cultural comparisons difficult. This study examines the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) in samples from five countries: France (n=627), Italy (n=702), Spain (n=391), Thailand (n=503), and Australia (n=654). Strong national differences are identified. A quadratic relationship between age and CSM total score was apparent in the Australian data with a downward trend after age 35 yrs. There was no age effect in any sample in the range from 18 to 29 yrs. Factor analysis identified a three‐factor solution in all groups for both men and women. Tucker's congruence coefficients indicate that: (1) this solution is highly congruent between sexes in each culture, and (2) a morning affect factor is highly congruent between cultures. These results indicate there are national differences in factorial structure and that cut‐off scores used to categorize participants as morning‐ and evening‐types should be established for different cultural and age groups.     

Do different circadian typology measures modulate their relationship with personality? A test using the Alternative Five Factor Model

The relationship between personality and circadian typology shows some inconsistent results and it has been hypothesized that the model used to measure personality might have a moderating effect on this relationship. However, it has never been explored if this inconsistency was dependent on the questionnaire used to measure differences in circadian rhythms as well. We explored this issue in a sample of 564 university students (32% men; 19–40 years) using the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire, which is based on an evolutionary-biological approach, in combination with the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) and the reduced Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ). Both questionnaires detected differences between circadian typologies in Sociability (highest in evening types; ET) and Impulsive Sensation-Seeking scales (highest in ET), while the CSM also detected differences in Activity (lowest in ET) and Aggression-Hostility (highest in ET). Further, both questionnaires detected differences between circadian typologies in the subscales General Activity (morning types [MT] higher than ET), Impulsivity (ET highest) and Sensation-Seeking (highest in ET). Differences between circadian typologies/groups in the subscales Parties (highest in ET) and Isolation Intolerance (lowest in MT) were only detected by the rMEQ. The CSM clearly separated evening types from neither and morning types while the rMEQ showed that neither types are not intermediate but closer to evening types in General Activity and Isolation Intolerance, and closer to morning types in Impulsive Sensation-Seeking, Parties, Impulsivity and Sensation Seeking. The obtained results indicate that the relationship between circadian typology and personality may be dependent on the instrument used to assess circadian typology. This fact may help to explain some of the conflicting data available on the relationship between these two concepts.     

Morningness-eveningness and seasonality

The study aimed to elucidate previously observed associations between morningness–eveningness and seasonality by analysing their distinct aspects separately: morning affect (MA) and time-of-day preference, different seasonal types and patterns (winter, summer, etc.), the degree of seasonality and perceived negative impact of seasonality. Students from Warsaw (N = 522) completed the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire and the Composite Scale of Morningness. Winter seasonality was related to lower MA, but unrelated to time-of-day preference. Global seasonality score was negatively associated with MA in winter seasonality, but not in other seasonality patterns, and unrelated to time-of-day preference. These associations remained significant after controlling for sex, age and season of assessment. It is concluded that winter seasonality is related to low MA, but not to time-of-day preference. The above results indicate that MA can be considered as an all year round indicator of proneness to winter seasonality and eventually to seasonal affective disorder. The results also suggest that MA and time-of-day preference should be analysed separately in future research on morningness–eveningness.     

Father's physique influences mate preferences but not the actual choice of male somatotype in heterosexual women and homosexual men

Body constitution plays an important role in human mate choice. Cross-cultural research reports that women on average prefer men with muscular physique. It is still unclear, however, what mechanisms influence the inter-individual variation in mate preferences and choices of partner's physique. In this study, we tested the mechanisms of an imprinting-like effect (similarity between father and an ideal and actual partner) and of homogamy (similarity between self and an ideal and actual partner) for male physique in heterosexual women and homosexual men. To assess the variation in male physique, we employed somatotype paradigm which characterizes body constitution using three components: endomorphic (heavy-set), mesomorphic (muscular), and ectomorphic (lean). In total, 149 homosexual men and 769 heterosexual women from the Czech Republic indicated the somatotype of their father, ideal and actual partner, and in homosexual men also their own somatotype. In line with previous research, the somatotype most preferred by both men and women was the mesomorphic, followed by the ectomorphic and the endomorphic one. Women's preferences for an ideal partner somatotype weakly correlated with their fathers' somatotype, especially in women who reported a positive relationship with their fathers during childhood. Among homosexual men, we found imprinting-like preferences only for the ectomorphic somatotype component and no significant association with the quality of their relationships with their fathers. We also found no significant relationship between the fathers' and actual partners' somatotype in either heterosexual women or homosexual men. Our research indicates that fathers have a rather weak influence on mate preference for somatotypes and no influence on actual mate choice.     

Body Image Partially Mediates the Relationship between Obesity and Psychological Distress

Objective: Body image is considered as a potential mediator of the relationship between obesity and psychological distress. Research Methods and Procedures: One hundred ten men and women in a residential weight control facility completed the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Binge Eating Scale. Results: For both men and women, body-image satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between degree of overweight and depression/self-esteem. Discussion: Sociodemographic factors that may influence the relationships among weight, body image, and depression/self-esteem are discussed.