With a prevalence of 25% - 40%, sleep disturbances are a common problem among youths. Research in adolescents and adults shows correlation between sleep problems and chronotype(individual...Show moreWith a prevalence of 25% - 40%, sleep disturbances are a common problem among youths. Research in adolescents and adults shows correlation between sleep problems and chronotype(individual differences in circadian phase preference, e.g. eveningness), with more eveningness relating to higher reports of sleep problems. However, less is known about this relationship in children. This study investigates the association between children’s chronotype(morning, intermediate, evening type) and sleep duration as well as sleep disturbances as reported by parents. Data has been collected in 9 to 12 year old children (n = 98) using the Children’s Chronotype Questionnaire (CCTQ), the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) and a 7-nights sleep diary. The analyses show that evening types (n = 15, M = 47.47) have significant more sleep problems than intermediate (n= 27, M = 39.11), p = .003 or morning types (n = 27, M = 35.70), p < .01. To be more specific, evening types have more problems with initiating and maintaining sleep (p < .01) and more excessive daytime somnolence (p < .01). No significant difference has been found between chronotypes in sleep duration. The main conclusion is that evening types among children have a higher risk of sleep problems, although sleep duration is similar to that in other chronotypes. This knowledge confirms the important role of chronotype and implicates that more focus on the characteristics of chronotypes is necessary in the clinical field.Show less
