Sleep habits, circadian preferences and substance use in a Mexican population: the use of the Morningness-Eveningness-Stability-Scale improved (MESSi)

Bimodal diurnal preference in undergraduate students is associated with negative health and sleep outcomes

The bimodal preference is a fourth diurnal preference proposed by re-scoring the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. The present work aimed to describe the prevalence of the bimodal preference in a sample of undergraduate students and to characterize the bimodal type in terms of their health and sleep-related outcomes. A web-based cross-sectional study conducted between September 2018 and March 2021 (convenience sampling method). The sample was composed of undergraduate students who completed an electronic form that included the Morningness and Eveningness Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Self-Compassion Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the World Health Organization Subjective Well-Being Index. The final sample consisted of 615 students (82% female, mean age: 23.4 ± 6.5 years), of whom 108 (18%) had positive bimodality indexes. Bimodal subjects comprised 48 students, 8% of the total sample. Bimodal subjects had poorer subjective sleep quality, more daytime sleepiness, lower subjective well-being, greater anxiety and depression symptoms, and lower self-compassion than morning and/or intermediate types; they did not differ from evening types. The description of bimodal diurnal preference in this population may be of interest for the design of academic policies more in line with the circadian reality of students.

Is evening chronotype associated with higher alcohol consumption? A systematic review and meta-analysis

A broader understanding of whether and to what extent chronotype should be considered a risk factor for alcohol consumption is needed. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence on the association between evening chronotype and alcohol consumption. A systematic search of observational studies on this association was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO databases up to April 30th, 2023. Random-effect models estimated the pooled odds ratio (OR) of alcohol consumption according to chronotype. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and Quality Assessment tool for Observational Cohorts and Cross-sectional Studies from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute were followed. A total of 33 studies involving 28 207 individuals (age range: 18-93 years) were included in this review. Overall, most studies indicated a higher volume and frequency of alcohol consumption in evening-type individuals than in individuals with different chronotypes. Additionally, a meta-analysis including 13 studies showed that evening-type individuals were 41% more likely to consume alcohol than those with other chronotypes (OR = 1.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.16-1.66; I2 = 38.0%). Limitations of the present findings are the predominance of cross-sectional studies and varied definitions of alcohol consumption. The available evidence supports an association between the evening chronotype and alcohol consumption. The evening-type population, especially young adults, is a specific target for educational interventions for preventing or reducing alcohol consumption.PROSPERO number: CRD42022343778.

Opioid use disorder in two samples of the Lebanese population: scale validation and correlation with sleep and mood disorders

BACKGROUND

The revised Opioid Risk Tool (ORT-OUD) is a brief, self-report scale designed to provide clinicians with a simple, validated method to screen for the risk of developing an Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in patients without a prior history of substance abuse. This study aimed to translate and validate the Arabic version of ORT-OUD in the Lebanese population and assess its clinical validity in a sample of patients with OUD.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study in the Lebanese population used several validated scales to assess the risk of OUD, including the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Other tools evaluated chronotype and sleep and mood disturbances. Principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was applied to assess ORT-OUD construct validity. Convergent validity with the Arabic version of ASSIST was evaluated. The ORT-OUD criterion validity was then assessed in a clinical sample of patients with OUD.

RESULTS

This study included 581 participants. The prevalence of the OUD risk in the Lebanese population using the ORT-OUD scale and the ASSIST-opioids scale was estimated at 14.5% and 6.54%, respectively. No items of the ORT-OUD were removed; all items converged over a solution of four factors with an eigenvalue > 1, explaining a total of 68.2% of the variance (Cronbach's alpha = 0.648). The correlation coefficients between the ORT-OUD total score and ASSIST subscales were as follows: ASSIST-opioids (r = 0.174; p = < 0.001), ASSIST-sedatives (r = 0.249; p < 0.001), and ASSIST-alcohol (r = 0.161; p = < 0.001). ORT-OUD clinical validation showed a correlation with ASSIST-opioids (r = 0.251; p = 0.093) and ASSIST-sedatives (r = 0.598; p < 0.001). Higher ORT-OUD scores were associated with a family and personal history of alcohol and substance consumption and higher insomnia and anxiety scores.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to validate the Arabic version of ORT-OUD in the Lebanese population, an essential step towards improving the detection and management of OUD in this population.

The circadian preferences in the context of sociodemographic indicators and lifestyle

Circadian preferences are frequently used as a synonym for chronotype. Both terms are based on different principles and are measured by a variant questionnaire. We focused on circadian preferences, delimited as an individual preference for the timing of various activities, and their relationship to the selected sociodemographic factors. All participants (n = 2068) filled out online questionnaires including MEQ, MCTQ, and sociodemographic information (age, sex, place of residence, marital status, childcare, education, financial security, physical and mental health). Although the concept of chronotype and circadian preference differ, the mutual correlation was high. Our results of the observed variables are similar to other studies. We revealed evening preference is related to a higher probability of living in a big city, having a single life, a higher risk of smoking, worse health status, and worse financial security. We observed a higher social jet lag among them. Our research complies with previous studies, which found that in some areas, people with evening preferences evince worse results. Due to the evening preference, these people are at a disadvantage, and the society's setting for morning operations can lead to a deepening of these differences. We recommend further research, which would focus on the practical application of results to the everyday life of participants to create preventive programs aimed at reducing the negative impact of evening preferences on life.

No relationship between chronotype and timing of breeding when variation in daily activity patterns across the breeding season is taken into account

There is increasing evidence that individuals are consistent in the timing of their daily activities, and that individual variation in temporal behavior is related to the timing of reproduction. However, it remains unclear whether observed patterns relate to the timing of the onset of activity or whether an early onset of activity extends the time that is available for foraging. This may then again facilitate reproduction. Furthermore, the timing of activity onset and offset may vary across the breeding season, which may complicate studying the above‐mentioned relationships. Here, we examined in a wild population of great tits (Parus major) whether an early clutch initiation date may be related to an early onset of activity and/or to longer active daylengths. We also investigated how these parameters are affected by the date of measurement. To test these hypotheses, we measured emergence and entry time from/into the nest box as proxies for activity onset and offset in females during the egg laying phase. We then determined active daylength. Both emergence time and active daylength were related to clutch initiation date. However, a more detailed analysis showed that the timing of activities with respect to sunrise and sunset varied throughout the breeding season both within and among individuals. The observed positive relationships are hence potentially statistical artifacts. After methodologically correcting for this date effect, by using data from the pre‐egg laying phase, where all individuals were measured on the same days, neither of the relationships remained significant. Taking methodological pitfalls and temporal variation into account may hence be crucial for understanding the significance of chronotypes.

The psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Morningness-Eveningness Stability Scale improved (MESSi) in adolescents

The aim of the present study was to adapt the Morningness-Eveningness-Stability Scale improved (MESSi) to the Spanish adolescent population, testing its factor structure and construct validity. The participants were 725 adolescents (52.9% girls; M = 14.8, SD = 1.99) who completed the MESSi, the Morningness Eveningness Scale of Children (MESC), questions about sleep habits adapted from the School Sleep Habits Survey, and self-reported academic performance. The psychometric results support a three-factor model with the factors of morning affect, eveningness, and distinctness, which show good internal consistency. The pattern of correlations between MESSi and the other measures was in the expected direction. The MESC correlated positively with morning affect and negatively with eveningness, whereas distinctness was uncorrelated. Boys reported higher morningness, whereas girls reported higher distinctness. Eveningness was negatively related to academic performance. Overall, the results support the validity and reliability of the Spanish adolescent version of the MESSi.

Psychometric Properties of the Turkish version of the Morningness - Eveningness Stability Scale improved (MESSi) in Adolescents

Morningness-Eveningness Stability Scale improved (MESSi) is an assessment tool that evaluates distinctness of daily changes as well as the person's propensity for morningness and eveningness. The aim of this study is to evaluate psychometric properties of the Turkish version of MESSi and associations of chronotypes and diurnal variations with personality, affect, sleep quality as well as validity of the scale in Turkish adolescents. The sample of this study consisted of 445 students between ages of 10-19. Participants filled in MESSi, Morningness/Eveningness Scale for Children, Composite Scale of Morningness, Personality Traits Scale (BIG-5), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Reliability analysis of the scale showed quite reliable internal consistency values. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test construct validity of three-factor model of MESSi. An acceptable model fit was demonstrated in CFA. There was a moderate and significant relationship between MA and DI subscale scores of MESSi. A moderate but negative correlation was found between MA and EV subscale scores of MESSi. MA and DI subscale scores of MESSi were found to be weakly correlated with conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience and subscale scores of BIG-5, respectively. There was a positive correlation of positive affect subscale scores of PANAS with MA and DI subscale scores of MESSi. MA subscale scores of MESSi were found to be negatively correlated with scores of subjective sleep quality, latency, duration, disturbances, habitual sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction, and global scores of PSQI. This study shows that Turkish version of MESSi is valid and reliable for use in adolescents. Three-factor MESSi provides an advantage over other chronotype scales in adolescence since it includes DI subscale as well as MA and EV subscales. Psychometric results were supported by other chronotype scales and clinical features such as sleep, affect, and personality.

Self-reported sleep duration, sleep quality and sleep problems in Mexicans adults: Results of the 2016 Mexican National Halfway Health and Nutrition Survey

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate self-reported sleep duration, sleep quality and sleep problems in a Mexican adult population by considering age, sex, geographical regions and urban/rural residency.

DESIGN/MEASUREMENTS

Cross-sectional national adult survey based on the 2016 Mexican National Halfway Health and Nutrition Survey data.

SETTING

Nationally representative survey data.

PARTICIPANTS

Mexican adults ≥ 18 years, n = 8649 (N weighted = 71,158,260 adults).

RESULTS

Overall, mean sleep duration was 7:19 hours, from which 37% had sleep problems, and 45.7% reported very good sleep quality. Furthermore, middle-aged adults slept less than younger and older adults, females were at lower risk of being a short sleeper than males, urban residents slept less than rural residents, and those from the center region of the country slept less than from the northern and southern regions. Mainly, participants from the state of Quintana Roo, Aguascalientes, and Baja California reported sleep duration <7 hours (6:26 hours, 6:45 hours, and 6:55 hours, respectively). Overall Mexicans who obtained sufficient sleep (≥8 hours) were more likely to be female, in their 20s, reporting perceived "good" or "very good" sleep quality, possessed no self-reported sleep problems, were not a tobacco user, and resided in rural areas. Furthermore, Mexicans who obtained poor sleep quality were more likely to be females that reported sleep problems, took sleep medications, and resided in urban areas.

CONCLUSION

The present study's findings have important implications for understanding the nationwide features of sleep in Mexican adults. Education and public health awareness initiatives regarding good sleep may be warranted.