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.
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, E. P. Bradley Hospital/Brown University, E. Providence, Rhode Island 02915.
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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