title: Schooltime subjective sleepiness and performance in Italian primary school children.
abstract: Despite its clinical importance, the issue of the diurnal time course of sleepiness and performance in children remains largely unexplored. The objective of this study is to draw a profile of daytime subjective sleepiness and performance, at simple and complex tasks, in a cohort of Italian primary school children.To this aim, a sample of 316 children (age range: 5-11 years; mean 8.2 ± 1.5) was recruited and sub-divided into three groups, according to age: Group 1 (5-7 years; N = 127), Group 2 (8-9 years; N = 108), Group 3 (10-11 years; N = 81). Subjective sleepiness and simple performance were evaluated, respectively, through the Pictorial Sleepiness Scale and the Simple Reaction Time Task. Executive functions were addressed by means of the "Go/No-Go Task." Measurements were made in the children's class three times a day, one day a week over a 3-week period in order to reliably reflect the habitual time course of sleepiness and performance, within the following time intervals: a) 8:30 am-10:30 am; b) 11 am-1 pm; c) 2 pm-4 pm.For the global sample, a significant increase of subjective sleepiness was found at the end of school day (2-4 pm), although at relatively low levels. No significant differences were observed in reaction times across the day, whereas a significant worsening was detected in performance at complex task already since mid-morning. Significant correlations were found between subjective sleepiness and complex performance at all points.Slight age-related differences were found in the time courses of subjective sleepiness: in fact, a significant overday reduction of vigilance levels, from mid-morning onwards, was observed in children aged 5-9 years, but not in the older children (10-11 years). However, the daily time course of both simple and complex performances did not differ among children of the three age groups. Our results show changes in vigilance and cognitive functions across a typical school day in childhood, as well as age-related differences in sleepiness profile, that we suggest to thoroughly consider when conceiving chronopsychological interventions in the school context.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Second University of Naples , Caserta , Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerasuolo
authors.affiliation: b Department "NEUROFARBA" , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Fiorenza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giganti
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Second University of Naples , Caserta , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Second University of Naples , Caserta , Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Second University of Naples , Caserta , Italy.
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Della Monica
authors.affiliation: b Department "NEUROFARBA" , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arzilli
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Second University of Naples , Caserta , Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marchesano
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Second University of Naples , Caserta , Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrella
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Second University of Naples , Caserta , Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ficca
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology
keywords: alertness; childhood; cognitive functioning; school context; subjective drowsiness