Association between puberty and delayed phase preference.
Many teenagers go to bed and wake up significantly later than younger children, a developmental progression thought to reflect adolescent psychosocial processes. To determine whether biological processes may underlie a delay of phase preference in adolescents, 183 sixth-grade boys and 275 sixth-grade girls completed questionnaires for morningness/eveningness (M/E) and pubertal status. School environment and birth order were also evaluated. A significant relationship of pubertal status to M/E was found in girls, with a similar though nonsignificant trend in boys. No relationship between M/E and psychosocial factors was found. These data support involvement of a biological factor in the adolescent phase preference delay and indicate that our current understanding of adolescent sleep patterns may need revision.
Carskadon
M A
MA
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, E. P. Bradley Hospital/Brown University, E. Providence, Rhode Island 02915.
Vieira
C
C
Acebo
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology