Circadian preference and academic achievement in school-aged students: a systematic review and a longitudinal investigation of reciprocal relations

Exploring the nexus between sleep, chronotype, and non-cognitive predictors in university students: Implications for academic success

While the association between sleep-related variables and academic achievement is widely acknowledged, limited attention has been directed towards exploring non-cognitive predictors of academic achievement such as conscientiousness and self-regulation. In this study, we investigated the relationships between various sleep-related factors (circadian preference, chronotype, sleep duration, quality, and irregularity) and non-cognitive predictors (conscientiousness, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and achievement motivation) in 637 university students. Bivariate analyses revealed moderate to strong correlations among several sleep-related measures. Notably, distinctness, representing the subjective perception of daily changes, and daytime sleepiness exhibited negative associations with self-regulation, while high sleep quality was positively linked to robust self-regulation. These findings emphasize the importance of exploring various measures, particularly distinctness within circadian typology. Furthermore, we discuss the potential integration of sleep intervention programs with strategies aimed at enhancing self-regulation.

A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies on the interplay between sleep, mental health, and positive well-being in adolescents

Objective

This review aimed to summarize longitudinal research about the interplay between sleep, mental health, and positive well-being in adolescents.

Method

Multiple search strategies were applied until 28th January 2023 to identify relevant research published in peer-reviewed journal articles or available grey literature. A final set of 63 studies were included in the systematic review and 42 in the meta-analysis.

Results

Results highlighted that long sleep duration, good sleep quality, and low insomnia symptoms were bidirectionally related to lower internalizing (Sleep T1 → Internalizing symptoms T2: r = -.20, p < .001; Internalizing symptoms T1 → Sleep T2: r = -.21, p < .001) and externalizing (Sleep T1 → Externalizing symptoms T2: r = -.15, p < .001; Externalizing symptoms T1→ Sleep T2: r = -.17, p < .001) symptoms, and to higher levels of psychological well-being (Sleep T1 → Psychological well-being T2: r = .15, p < .001; Psychological well-being T1 → Sleep T2: r = .15, p < .05). Moreover, good sleep was positively related to higher subjective well-being at a later time point (r = .18, p < .001).

Conclusions

Overall, these findings suggest a bidirectional relation between different aspects of sleep, mental health, and positive well-being.

For Whom (and When) the Time Bell Tolls: Chronotypes and the Synchrony Effect

Circadian rhythms are powerful timekeepers that drive physiological and intellectual functioning throughout the day. These rhythms vary across individuals, with morning chronotypes rising and peaking early in the day and evening chronotypes showing a later rise in arousal, with peaks in the afternoon or evening. Chronotype also varies with age from childhood to adolescence to old age. As a result of these differences, the time of day at which people are best at attending, learning, solving analytical problems, making complex decisions, and even behaving ethically varies. Across studies of attention and memory and a range of allied areas, including academic achievement, judgment and decision-making, and neuropsychological assessment, optimal outcomes are found when performance times align with peaks in circadian arousal, a finding known as the synchrony effect. The benefits of performing in synchrony with one's chronotype (and the costs of not doing so) are most robust for individuals with strong morning or evening chronotypes and for tasks that require effortful, analytical processing or the suppression of distracting information. Failure to take the synchrony effect into consideration may be a factor in issues ranging from replication difficulties to school timing to assessing intellectual disabilities and apparent cognitive decline in aging.

Circadian preference and physical and cognitive performance in adolescence: A scoping review

Adolescence is a crucial period of development which coincides with changes in circadian rhythmicity. This may augment the impact of circadian preference on performance in this group. We aimed to scope the literature available on chronotypes and their effect on physical and mental aspects of performance in adolescents. Studies were identified by systematically searching bibliographical databases and grey literature. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire was the most frequently reported tool for circadian preference assessment. Academic achievement was the most prevailing outcome, with evidence suggesting that morning type adolescents tend to outperform evening types, yet the results vary depending on multiple factors. Performance in tests of intelligence and executive functions was generally better at optimal times of the day (synchrony effect). Physical performance was examined in 8 studies, with very heterogeneous outcomes. Although the associations between circadian preference and performance in adolescents are evident in some areas, there are many factors that may be involved in the relationship and require further investigation. This review highlights the assessment of physical performance in relation to chronotypes, the multidimensional assessment of circadian preference, and the need for longitudinal studies as priorities for further research.Protocol: OSF Registration - Public registration, DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/UCA3Z.

The Longitudinal Interplay between Sleep, Anthropometric Indices, Eating Behaviors, and Nutritional Aspects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sleep is fundamental for adolescents' healthy development but undergoes dramatic changes in quantity and quality due to the conflict between biological and social rhythms. Insufficient sleep has been associated with worse physical health status and irregular eating behaviors in adolescents. This review aims to systematically synthesize the longitudinal associations between adolescents' sleep dimensions (i.e., duration, timing, quality, and insomnia symptoms) and physical health indicators (i.e., anthropometric indices, fat percentage, and risk of obesity), eating behaviors, and nutritional aspects (i.e., type of diet related to the intake of specific foods and nutrients, amount and timing of food consumption, energy expenditure). A total of 28 longitudinal studies were included. The meta-analytic results showed that longer sleep duration, better sleep quality, and lower insomnia symptoms were associated with lower BMI and fat percentage and that shorter sleep duration (<7 h) and lower sleep quality were associated with a higher risk of obesity. Conversely, anthropometric indices were not related to sleep over time. Limited literature examined the bidirectional association between adolescents' sleep and their eating behaviors and nutritional aspects. Such knowledge sheds new light on the role of sleep for adolescents' health, highlighting the need to examine further the interplay between these variables.

Chronotype in college science students is associated with behavioral choices and can fluctuate across a semester

Many students self-report that they are "night owls," which can result from neurodevelopmental delays in the circadian timing system. However, whether an individual considers themselves to be an evening-type versus a morning-type (self-reported chronotype) may also be influenced by academic demands (e.g. class start times, course load) and behavioral habits (e.g. bedtime social media use, late caffeine consumption, daytime napping). If so, then chronotype should be malleable. We surveyed 858 undergraduate students enrolled in demanding science courses at up to three time points. The survey assessed morning/evening chronotype, global sleep quality, academics, and behavioral habits. Evening and morning-type students showed similar demographics, stress levels, and academic demands. At baseline measurements, relative to morning-types, evening-types showed significantly worse sleep quality and duration as well as 22% greater bedtime social media usage, 27% greater daytime napping duration, and 46% greater likelihood of consuming caffeine after 5pm. These behavioral habits partially mediated the effects of self-reported chronotype on sleep quality/duration, even after controlling for demographic factors. Interestingly, 54 students reported switching from being at least moderate evening-types at baseline to being at least moderate morning-types later in the semester and 56 students showed the reverse pattern (6.3% of students switched from "definitely" one chronotype to the other chronotype). Evening-to-morning "chrono-switchers" consumed less caffeine after 5pm and showed significantly better sleep quantity/quality at the later timepoint. Thus, some students may consider themselves to be night owls in part because they consume caffeine later, take more daytime naps, or use more social media at bedtime. Experimental work is needed to determine whether nudging night owls to behave like morning larks results in better sleep health or academic achievement.

Sleep Well, Study Well: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies on the Interplay between Sleep and School Experience in Adolescence

Adolescents spend most of their daily time in school and performing school-related activities. Different aspects of their school experiences, such as school performance, psychological factors related to school, and structural factors, consistently impact adolescents' health and are likely to be intertwined with their sleep (i.e., quantity and quality, sleep disturbances). This systematic review aimed to comprehensively summarize the reciprocal and longitudinal associations between adolescents' sleep and multiple aspects of their school experience. Using multiple search strategies and applying a two-step selection process, 25 journal articles matched the eligibility criteria and were thus included in the review. The results highlighted the contribution of poor sleep quality and sleep disturbances in predicting longitudinal school experiences-related outcomes (i.e., decreasing school engagement and performance, and increasing school-related burnout, absenteeism, and bullying). At the same time, the results showed how experiences related to the school's psychological factors (e.g., high levels of school burnout and stressful environment) and structural characteristics (e.g., early school entrance time) affect youth sleep over time (i.e., decreasing sleep quality and quantity). These main findings provided novel insights into the bidirectional relationship between school experience and sleep health, highlighting the importance of more longitudinal research investigating all aspects of healthy sleep, including the size and direction of the association.

Sleep Is a Family Affair: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies on the Interplay between Adolescents' Sleep and Family Factors

Family is one of the primary socialization contexts influencing adolescents' psychological health. In this regard, a crucial indicator of adolescents' health is their sleep quality. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how multiple family factors (i.e., demographic and relational) are intertwined with adolescents' sleep quality. For this reason, this systematic review with meta-analysis aims to comprehensively summarize and integrate previous longitudinal research investigating the reciprocal relation between demographics (e.g., family structure) and positive (e.g., family support) and negative (e.g., family chaos) relational family factors and adolescents' sleep quality. Several search strategies were applied, and a final set of 23 longitudinal studies that matched the eligibility criteria were included in this review. The total number of participants was 38,010, with an average age at baseline of 14.7 years (SD = 1.6, range: 11-18 years). On the one hand, the meta-analytic results showed that demographic factors (e.g., low socio-economic status) were not related to adolescents' sleep quality at a later time point. On the other hand, positive and negative family relational factors were positively and negatively related to adolescents' sleep, respectively. Furthermore, the results suggested that this association could be bidirectional. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The Social Side of Sleep: A Systematic Review of the Longitudinal Associations between Peer Relationships and Sleep Quality

In adolescence, peer relationships become crucial since youths start to rely on their peers for support. Thus, multiple facets of adolescents' well-being are affected by their peer relationships. In this vein, one of the central well-being aspects that could be affected by the peer relationships of adolescents is sleep quality. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how multiple peer relationship factors (i.e., positive, negative, emotional, and behavioral issues related to peer relationships) are intertwined with adolescents' sleep quality. For this reason, this systematic review with meta-analysis aims to summarize longitudinal studies to uncover how the interplay between peer relationship factors and adolescents' sleep quality unfolds over time. Nineteen longitudinal studies involving a total of 21,232 adolescents were included. Overall, findings from this review showed that (a) positive peer relationships and sleep quality were not associated over time; (b) negative peer relationships and sleep quality were bidirectionally associated over time; (c) few studies evaluated the bidirectional relations between emotional and behavioral issues and sleep quality, showing links with sleep schedule and duration, but not with sleep quality. Meta-analytic results were discussed, considering their implications.

Prospective association between evening circadian preference and academic functioning in adolescents: the role of daytime sleepiness

BACKGROUND

There is growing evidence for the role of circadian factors in adolescents' sleep and academic adjustment, with greater evening preference being linked to poorer academic functioning. However, studies have yet to evaluate this association prospectively in adolescence, nor have studies examined daytime sleepiness as a putative mechanism linking evening preference to poor academic functioning. The current study used a multi-informant design to test the prospective association of evening circadian preference, daytime sleepiness, and academic functioning (e.g., global academic impairment and grades) across 2 years in adolescence. As evening circadian preference, sleepiness, and academic problems are elevated in adolescents with ADHD, we used a sample enriched for adolescents with ADHD and explored whether ADHD moderated effects.

METHOD

Participants were 302 adolescents (M_age  = 13.17 years; 44.7% female; 81.8% White; 52% with ADHD). In the fall of eighth grade, adolescents reported on their circadian preference, and in the fall of ninth grade, adolescents and parents completed ratings of daytime sleepiness. In the middle of 10th grade, parents and teachers reported on adolescents' academic impairment and at the end of 10th grade, adolescents' grade point average (GPA) was obtained from school records.

RESULTS

Above and beyond covariates (e.g., adolescent sex, ADHD status, medication, sleep duration) and baseline academic impairment, greater self-reported evening preference in 8th grade predicted increased parent ratings of academic impairment in 10th grade indirectly via adolescent and parent ratings of daytime sleepiness in 9th grade. Furthermore, evening preference in 8th grade predicted greater teacher ratings of academic impairment and lower average GPA in 10th grade via parent ratings of daytime sleepiness in 9th grade, controlling for covariates and baseline GPA. ADHD status did not moderate indirect effects.

CONCLUSION

Findings underscore daytime sleepiness as a possible intervening mechanism linking evening preference to poor academic functioning across adolescence. Intervention studies are needed to evaluate whether targeting circadian preference and sleepiness improves academic functioning in adolescents.

Development of adolescents’ self-esteem and general academic self-concept: perceived classroom climate makes a difference

We investigated rank-order continuity and mean-level change in adolescents’ self-esteem, academic self-concept, and social self-concept and tested whether interindividual differences in intraindividual change could be explained by four dimensions of classroom climate (i.e., teachers’ focus on students, learning community, pressure related to social or achievement issues, and rivalry and disruptions in class). The effects of classroom climate dimensions were investigated at the individual and classroom levels. The study comprised 2722 students from 98 classes who participated in four waves from grades 5 to 8. Rank-order continuities of self-esteem, academic self-concept, and social self-concept were substantial. Multilevel regressions revealed a significant nonlinear mean-level change in all constructs under investigation, indicating an initial decrease that became smaller over time. In self-esteem and social self-concept, the trend shifted from an initial decrease to an increase. Multilevel regressions revealed significant interindividual differences in the changes over time in all constructs. Change in academic self-concept was significantly predicted by all classroom climate dimensions on the individual level. Change in self-esteem was predicted by teachers’ focus on students and pressure related to social or achievement issues on the individual level. Change in social self-concept was not predicted by any classroom climate dimension.